Tamil Nadu Ecotourism Policy 2017(Sectoral)

Following its definition, ecotourism is “responsible travel to nature areas that involves interpretation and education, conserves the environment, and sustains the well-being of the local people.” To provide ecotourism options to support the preservation of Tamil Nadu’s rich natural and cultural heritage and to improve the dependent people’s ability to support themselves. The principal goals of this policy are

1. To recognize, market, and advance natural places as destinations for ecotourism.
2. To manage the influx of visitors within the threshold level to maintain the holiness of the site, and to grow ecotourism on each site depending on the carrying capacity.
3. To encourage environmentally sustainable infrastructure that adheres to the guiding principles.
4. To encourage collaborations amongst all parties involved in the creation, marketing, and upkeep of ecotourism destinations.
5. To provide means of subsistence and distribute earnings to the nearby communities in exchange for their support of conservation.
6. To improve hospitality ethics, enhance tourist experiences, and increase the ability of all stakeholders to interpret the natural and cultural aspects of the places.
7. To develop visitor and sustainable tourism codes of conduct that are site-specific.
8. To enhance tourist learning experiences for conservation and to promote nature conservation through teaching and awareness-raising.  

Year: 2017

Department:  Environment & Forests