Tourism in Indian Himalayan Regions

Tourism in IHR

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) covers 533000 sq.km, across 10 mountain States and 4 hill districts of India that make up our north and north-eastern borders. The administrative region of Indian Himalaya is spread over the mountainous states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura. One hill district of West Bengal and two hill districts of Assam also form part of the Indian Himalayan region.

The environment performance index of the Himalayan States on tourism currently includes only two IHR States in the top ten. Current forms of tourism in the IHR are unsustainable. They replace traditional ecofriendly and aesthetic architecture with inappropriate, non-aesthetic, and often dangerous constructions, and compound other challenges such as poorly designed roads and associated infrastructure, inadequate solid waste management, air pollution, degradation of watersheds and water sources, loss of natural resources, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.

 Sustainable Tourism in the Indian Himalayan Region:- Tourist arrivals in the Indian Himalayan States are projected to reach 240 million by 2025, which is 2.5 times the current tourist arrivals at 100 million (Figure 1). Mass tourism is already causing ecological degradation and social disharmony. IHR States need to promote inclusive community based management models based on principles of fair and equitable benefit sharing. The engagement of local communities in various forms needs to be highlighted and reinforced in promoting public-private partnership models. The concept of incentivizing best practices should be based on meeting eco labelling and other standards and use of these incentives for equitable and fair benefit-sharing or reinvestments in local development.

Opportunities and paradigms of the tourism sector

• India ranks 15th in the world in terms of International Tourism Receipts, with a share of 1.62%. India registered 8.03 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2015, an annual growth of 4.5% over the previous year.
• It is the third highest foreign exchange earner, after gems, jewellery, and garments (Economic Survey of India, 2018).
• India aims to create 100 million jobs through tourism and attract 40 million foreign tourists annually in the next five years (Union Minister K J Alphons on 23 October 2017). At present, 14.4 million international tourists visit India annually.
• However, in the IHR, due to environmental fragility (e.g. ban on green felling) tourism is not necessarily an investment friendly for the private sector.

What is the impact of tourism on Himalayan ecology?

·         Overcrowding: In recent years it has been seen that hill stations are fully overcrowded throughout the year, unlike the past decade where it was mainly in the summer season. This huge influx of tourists has led to soil erosion, vegetation damage, and disturbance of wildlife habitats.

·         Depletion of resources: Local ecosystems and infrastructure are stressed by the increased demand for water, electricity, and other resources, which frequently results in overuse and depletion.

·         Waste Generation: Tourism produces a lot of waste, including plastic, packaging, and other contaminants that can contaminate local waterways and harm flora and fauna.

·         Pollution: The influx of vehicles and increased construction can lead to air and noise pollution, affecting both the environment and residents.

·         Deforestation & Loss of Habitat: The development of tourism-related infrastructure, such as roads and lodging, can result in deforestation and habitat fragmentation, upsetting ecosystems and endangering species.

Govt. initiative for promotion of tourism

• Tax Incentives: An investment-linked deduction under Section 35 AD of the Income Tax Act is in place for establishing new hotels in the 2-star category and above across India. 100% deduction on investment of capital nature excludes land.
• State Incentives: Incentives offered by state governments include subsidized land cost, relaxation in stamp duty, exemption on sale/lease of land, power tariff incentives, concessional rate of interest on loans, investment subsidies/tax incentives, backward areas subsidies and special incentive packages for mega projects; Incentives are provided for setting up projects in special areas – the North-east, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
• Incentives from the Ministry of Tourism: Assistance in large revenue-generating projects; Support to Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in infrastructure development such as viability gap funding; Schemes for capacity building of service provider.
• A mobile application called ‘Swachh Paryatan’ was launched in 2016, which lets citizens report any hygiene issues at various tourist destinations across the country.
• The Ministry of Tourism launched the 24x7 Toll Free Multi-Lingual Tourist Helpline in 12 languages in 2016 and it can be accessed on toll free numbers.

Key elements towards developing sustainable tourism in the Himalayas include

·          An assessment of the carrying capacity of tourist destinations across existing and potential tourism sites;

·         Development of tourism satellite accounts to comprehensively measure contributions of tourism to the State and national economy;

·         Cess or higher user charges/levies on service providers and consumers; developing, implementing and monitoring tourism sector standards (e.g., hospitality, hotel and tour operators compliance standards);

·         Building skills and entrepreneurship in the tourism sector using a value chain approach and resultant greater engagement of local workforce;

·         Potential business sector reinvestments in conservation and local skill and entrepreneurship development;

·         Sensitization of visitors; and

·         Online information on real-time carrying capacity and local implementation of safety and security norms to decongest tourist destinations or host visitors as per the local carrying capacity.  

Way forward:-How has infrastructure development exacerbated this environmental degradation?

• Widening of Roads: Projects like the Char Dham highway project and many other small road-wide project has disturbed the ecology of the region. Road construction for improved access to tourist destinations frequently entails clearing forests, deteriorating slopes, and raising the possibility of landslides. Additionally, the migration of wildlife may be impeded by these roadways.
• Unplanned rise in the Hospitality sector: Building hotels, resorts, and other types of lodging has resulted in unchecked urban growth, destroying habitat and upsetting normal drainage patterns.
• Management of Water Resources: As a result of the increased demand for water brought on by tourists, local resources are frequently over-extracted, creating a water shortage that affects both local populations and the environment.
• Solid Waste Management: Inadequate waste management facilities can lead to improper disposal of waste, polluting soil and water, and impacting the overall aesthetic appeal of the region.
• Energy Consumption: The requirement to accommodate visitors and offer services increases energy consumption, which frequently results in a rise in greenhouse gas emissions and environmental stress.

The cultural fabric and social values of collectivism which have historically been hallmarks of mountain communities are fast eroding. Thus, Careful planning, sustainable practices, and cooperation between governments, local communities, and the tourism sector are necessary to strike a balance between the economic advantages of tourism and the preservation of the vulnerable Himalayan ecology.

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