Wildlife tourism and local communities : evidence from India

This paper examines the impact of wildlife tourism on the livelihoods of local population around the Ranthambhore National Park in India which is popular for tiger sighting. A detailed household questionnaire elicited information on demographic details, income sources and consumption expenditure from 224 households. An empirical assessment of the economic impacts of tourism reveals that tourism development has failed to provide tangible benefits to the community. Qualitative assessment of community perception of tourism impacts and information from key informant interviews reveals contrasting ideologies of diverse stakeholders vis-à-vis park use. With tourism development benefitting mostly the big private (often non-native) players in the tourism industry, the residents feel alienated, and this doesn't augur well for conservation efforts.