Eco-Tourism Policy of Tripura

Eco-tourism is emerging as an important component of the Tripura tourist industry. Eco-tourism has been considered as a sustainable, equitable, community based endeavor for improving the living standards for the native communities. Apart from stakeholders, there is also a need to forge synergic partnership with the existing tourism industry of the state. Eco-tourism provides the incentives to local people, entrepreneurs and governments.

Objectives:

1. Promote sustainable use and management of the natural forests and wildlife resources of the state.
2. Create self-employment opportunities for local people in eco-tourism for optimum economic benefits to them.
3. Help generate substantial revenue to the state.
4. Maintenance and protection of the natural biodiversity resources of the state.
5. To encourage nature and adventure loving tourists to visit the state.
6. Provide opportunities for the local youths to participate in activities related to nature and adventure tourism (trekking, biking etc.).
7. To encourage traditional artisans and artists by providing them opportunities to exhibit their culture and art to the outside tourists.
8. Preserve and enrich their rich cultural heritage.
9. Create suitable infrastructure including communication and transportation links that would not only help the tourists, but also encourage the businessmen and industrialists to make investments for development of infrastructural facilities in the state.
10. To promote and provide special facilities to the nature, religion and culture based tourism in the state.

Financial Support

1. Financial support to the host community mainly through soft loans from various specially created Trust/Funds to ensure their participation as stake holders for promoting eco-tourism.
2. Development of protected areas including Eco-tourist facilities, Interpretation Centres, Literature etc with the funding support of Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
3. Inviting private entrepreneurs to develop site specific packages by providing appropriate incentives.
4. Identification of potential activities or modification of existing practices to ensure financial sustainability should be taken up. Providing soft loans from specially created Trust Funds based on recycled park gate receipts / Community Credit Programmes to identified beneficiaries may be explored.

Income Opportunities For Locals:

Local people can earn their livelihood by finding out the income opportunities occurred within the following efforts of government and exploit them.

1. Cooperation of Govt Dept/Private Enterpreneurs for creation & management of low cost accommodation for tourists
2. Providing guide service to visitors for jungle excursions.
3. Providing sale outlets for local herbal medicine, management of eco-tourism inputs e.g. canoeing / boating, cafeteria, organizing folk dance, picnic spots, Elephant rides etc.
4. Organizing visit to a typical host community village & exposure to country culture, organizing bird club.

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