Can Tourism be a Vehicle for Conservation? An Investigation from the Mangrove Forests of the Indian Sundarbans

The Sundarban National Park is among five Natural World Heritage Sites in India and part of the world’s largest mangrove eco-system. The remote island communities that surround the Park are dependent on it for fishing, honey and prawn fry collection, timber and fuelwood and have few alternate livelihood options. In recent years, eco-tourism has gained momentum. In 2006-07, the Park saw 75,000 visitors, an 18% increase over the previous year. Thus, it is important to understand whether tourism is augmenting local people’s livelihood and reducing their forest dependence. A SANDEE study asks these questions and also assesses the potential of eco-tourism to contribute to conservation.