Trans Boundary Eco Tourism in Indo Bhutan Region.docx

8/4/2019 Trans Boundary Eco Tourism in Indo Bhutan Region.docx

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Transboundary Eco-tourism in Indo-Bhutan Region: A case of Sikkim and Bhutan

By Basudev Upadhyay and Nakul Chettri

Abstract

Ecotourism has emerged as one of the development tool, which aims to protect the natural environment andcultural diversity by attracting the ecotourism and generating revenue for the local people without harming nature.

Growing share of world tourism arrivals that in return assures increased length of stay, visitors expenditure and

the income retained within the region is under noticed in the region. Tourism being one of the most essential

aspects of sustainable development of both Himalayan countries India and Bhutan, the cooperation among the two

nations can have a prominent impact on the development of both the countries through more friendly and

cooperative policies. The region should ensure that the visitors experience a safe environment and unique

hospitality, with awareness on the part of resident populations for the opportunities that tourism presents and on

the part of visitors, an appreciation of the special characteristics of the region. The regions highly distinctive

environment and culture need to be conserved for the maximum benefit to retain the regions unique identity.

It is noted that both countries have their own tourism policies and action plans. The formulation of policies thataddresses the place and people in the adjoining transboundary region of Bhutan and India could have an

outreaching impact and the promotion of tourism in the transboundary region to foster the tourism business.

Regional tourism is not much flourished in this region. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

has been instrumental in facilitating regional cooperation through its transboundary conservation initiatives.

ICIMODs Regional Cooperation Framework developed through consultative processes harmonizes national policies

and legislation towards effective management of Khangchendzonga landscape and has been a key to achieving

environmental and economic sustainability among the countries sharing this complex. Promoting nature tourism on

this framework can have a maximum benefit to the livelihoods of the people and the environment.

The article share the overview of the existing regional tourism status concerning two regions: Sikkim in India and

Bhutan and points towards the need for further regional cooperation in bringing effective regional tourism. This

paper also aims to look forth the tourism potential in the region and promote nature based ecotourism through

transboundary cooperation in Indo-Bhutan region.

Keywords: tourism, nature, sustainable development, regional co-operation


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Transboundary Eco-tourism in Indo-Bhutan Region: A case of Sikkim and Bhutan

By Basudev Upadhyay and Nakul Chettri

1. IntroductionIndia covers an area of 32,872,631 sq. km surrounded by the Bay of Bengal in the East, the

Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the South. Also in the east lies the Bangladesh.

Afghanistan and Pakistan borders India in the west. The gulf of Myanmar and the Palk Straits

separate India from Sri-lanka. The Indian subcontinent is characterized by great diversity in its

physical features. The Himalayan Mountains stretch north west to south east between the gorges

of Indus and the Tsango-Brahmaputra; The Indus Ganga Brahmaputra plain extends along the

foot of the mountain rim; Peninsular Plateau rising alluvial plains of Utterakhand and Bihar

extending toward south forming a irregular triangle; Western Ghats in the southern tip of

Peninsula; Eastern Ghats; The coastal plains and the Islands (India Geography 2011). . Indias

Population has crossed 1.21 billion as per the census of 2011(Indiaonlinepages 2011)

India has a rich and varied heritage of biodiversity, encompassing a wide spectrum of habitats

from tropical rainforests to alpine vegetation and from temperate forests to coastal wetlands.

India is figured with two hotspots - the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas. According to

The India Biodiversity Portal1 India contributes significantly to latitudinal biodiversity trend.

With a mere 2.4% of the world's area, India accounts for 7.31% of the global faunal total with a

faunal species count of 89,451 species. According to Indian Nature and Wildlife web portal2

there are 167 crop species and wild relatives. India is considered to be the centre of origin of

30,000-50,000 varieties of rice, pigeon-pea, mango, turmeric, ginger, sugarcane, gooseberries

etc. and ranks seventh in terms of contribution to world agriculture.

Tourism development in the region started after the relaxation of RAP3/PAP4/ILP5 permits in the

90s in India. In the beginning the domestic tourists flow in the country took place especially for

religious purpose. Gradually the foreign tourist flow took over for various reasons of business,

site seeing, recreation, and research that include river cruise, kayaking, mountaineering, trekking,

etc. Some varieties of tourism products are:

Some of the tourism products identified for Sikkim are: Nature & Trekking Tourism, Eco-

tourism & Wilderness tourism; Village/Rural & Home stay Tourism; Adventure Tourism;

Wellness Tourism (Meditation, Yoga, Spa & herbal medicine etc.). Pilgrimage & Buddhist

1A repository of information designed to harness and disseminate collective intelligence on the biodiversity of the

Indian subcontinent (A web portalhttp://indiabiodiversity.org/)2

Travel Horizon Indiahttp://www.holidayindiatour.com/themes/nature-and-wildlife.html3

Restricted Area Permit4

Protected Area permit5

Inner Line Permit
http://indiabiodiversity.org/http://indiabiodiversity.org/http://indiabiodiversity.org/http://www.holidayindiatour.com/themes/nature-and-wildlife.htmlhttp://www.holidayindiatour.com/themes/nature-and-wildlife.htmlhttp://www.holidayindiatour.com/themes/nature-and-wildlife.htmlhttp://www.holidayindiatour.com/themes/nature-and-wildlife.htmlhttp://indiabiodiversity.org/


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Tourism; Culture & Heritage; Conference Tourism; Tea Tourism; Snow travel & Hydro

Tourism; Flori-Tourism; Geo Tourism; Fairs- Festival Tourism; Wedding- Honeymoon tourism;

Peace/Health Rejuvenation Tourism; Holy Tourism; Monsoon Tourism; Cave Tourism; Akant

vas & Agyat Van Tourism; Development of Lakes and wetlands; Wayside Amenities- each at

10Kms distance; Art craft and Souvenir; Premium Destinations.6

Landlocked Bhutan is situated in the eastern Himalayas and is mostly mountainous and heavily

forested. In the north, the snowcapped Great Himalayan Range reaches heights of over 7,500

meters above sea level and extends along the Bhutan-China border. The Inner Himalayas are

southward spurs of the Great Himalayan Range7. In the south, the Southern Hills, or Siwalik

Hills, the foothills of the Himalayas, are covered with dense deciduous forest, alluvial lowland

river valleys, and mountains that reach to around 1,500 meters above sea level. The foothills

descend into the subtropical Duars Plain. Most of the Duars Plain proper is located in India; and

ten to fifteen kilometers penetrate inside Bhutan.

The estimated population of Bhutan is about 695,000. The country is still predominantly ruraland about 85% of the people live in villages. More than 90% of population in Bhutan follows

Buddhism as there only religion.

26% of the land of Bhutan is under protected area networks, highest in Asia and perhaps the

world. Bhutan is, therefore, listed as the top 10 global biodiversity hot spot. About 165 species of

mammals identified. Including the Snow Leopard, Tiger, Blue Sheep, Musk Deer, Takin, Red

Panda, Greater One-horned Rhinoceros, and Golden Langur, a primate found virtually nowhere

else on earth. More than 770 species of bird species, some of which are globally threatened,

include the Rufous-necked Hornbill, Black-necked Crane and Palla's Fish Eagle.

72% of Bhutan is under forest cover. The flora of Bhutan is exceptionally diverse as a result of

great range of altitudinal zones and varied climatic conditions. About 5,500 species of vascular

plants are known to exist in Bhutan of which 750 endemic to the Eastern Himalayas and more

than 50 to Bhutan itself. The first ever written constitutions require country to maintain 60% of

its area under forest cover in perpetuity8 (Wangchuk 2008). Cultural tours, Trekking, Mountain

biking, white water rafting, bird watching, trout fishing are the current tourism products (DoT/

RGoB 2005).

6Excerpt from Tourism department Gangtok Planning seed of hope for greener tomorrow

7Bhutan geographyhttp://motherearthtravel.com/bhutan/geography.htm

8http://www.conservenature.org/learn_about_wildlife/biodiversity_in_bhutan/bhutan.htm
http://motherearthtravel.com/bhutan/geography.htmhttp://motherearthtravel.com/bhutan/geography.htmhttp://motherearthtravel.com/bhutan/geography.htmhttp://www.conservenature.org/learn_about_wildlife/biodiversity_in_bhutan/bhutan.htmhttp://www.conservenature.org/learn_about_wildlife/biodiversity_in_bhutan/bhutan.htmhttp://www.conservenature.org/learn_about_wildlife/biodiversity_in_bhutan/bhutan.htmhttp://www.conservenature.org/learn_about_wildlife/biodiversity_in_bhutan/bhutan.htmhttp://motherearthtravel.com/bhutan/geography.htm


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Box 1Sikkim Biodiversity and Ecotourism Project

During 1996-1998, Sikkim Biodiversity and Ecotourismproject, Initiated enterprise- based community basedconservation through micro-enterprise development. TheSikkim Biodiversity and Ecotourism Project was a collaborativeinitiative designed to promote conservation activities forprotection of biological diversity of tourism promotion zones.

The core activities of the project encompassed participatoryapproaches that link tourism related diverse enterprises andtraditional cultural practices conservation action. Projectcollaborators include Travel Agents Association of Sikkim(TAAS), The Green Circle (a Sikkimese NGO),Khanchendzonga Conservation Committee (a Yuksam based

rural Sikkimese NGO) local communities at the sites.

Sikkim Himalayan Homestay program promotes ecotourism inrural areas of Sikkim, India. This is an endeavour to help themountain communities of Sikkim to benefit from low-impactrural tourism. In this way, the cultural heritage of thecommunities and the beautiful environment around them can beprotected for future generations.

Tourism being one of the most essential aspects of sustainable development of both Himalayan

countries India and Bhutan, the cooperation among the two nations can have an influencing

impact on the development of both

the regions through more friendly and

cooperative policies. The regional

tourism is lacking at this context. It is

noted that both countries have their

own tourism policies and action

plans. The formulation of policies that

addresses the place and people in the

adjoining transboundary region of

Bhutan and India could have an

outreaching impact and the promotion

of tourism in the transboundary

region to foster the tourism business.Regional tourism is not much

flourished in the transboundary area.

This papers aims to look forth the

tourism potential in the region and

promote nature based ecotourism

through transboundary cooperation in

Indo-Bhutan region.

2. Tourism in SikkimSikkim has about 607,688 estimated populations (hosts only 0.5% of total population of India)

which makes it the least populous state in India, and with 7300 square miles, it is the second

smallest state. It contains the third highest mountain in the world, Mount Khangchendzonga. It

has 11 languages, and English is taught in the schools and used in official documents. The

majority of its citizens are Nepalese, and the main religions are Hinduism and Vajrayana

Buddhism.

Sikkim has 227 lakes, 28 mountain peaks, 80 or more glaciers, and more than 100 rivers.

Connecting Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan to Sikkim are eight mountain passes. There are hot springs

used for healing and physical therapy where the water averages 122 degrees F. The climate

varies from the icy cold of the mountains to the tropical heat of the valleys. This great diversity

in climatic regions is one reason for the large amount and variety of birds in Sikkim, which is

one of the worlds most prolific regions of bird life.

Communities, Cultures, Religions and Customs of different hues intermingle freely in Sikkim toconstitute a homogeneous blend. The predominant communities are the Lepchas, Bhatias andNepalese. The Sikkim State government as well as local NGOs has taken many initiatives to
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Table 1: Tourist Trend in Sikkim

Date IndianTourists

ForeignTourists

2004-05 230719 14646

2005-06 251744 16523

2006-07 292486 18026

Share inIndianarrival (06)

0.06 0.15

Source: Indian Tourism, Government of India,Guwahati Assam 2006

Box 2Biodiversity in Sikkim

Sikkim is also known as the valley of rice. The terraced farmlands have rice, maize and barley as the maincrops. Other crops like ginger, potatoes and oranges are also grown. One of the chief cash crops of the state islarger cardamom. Sikkim's orchids are world-famous as the state has more than 450 species of them. There areabout 36 species of rhododendrons in Sikkim found at heights of 10,000 ft. Their variety is as diverse as thesizes and colors. From the giant Rhododendron Crande [over 40ft] to the Rhododendron Nivale (a few-inchesoff the ground), and from the blood red to pale white.

Sikkim also has more than 600 species of Butterflies many of them rare and endangered. The forests resound tothe bark of the Barking Deer which shares it's habitat with the adorable little Red panda [also the state animal.The Musk Deer, Leopard cats, and flying squirrels to name a few. The higher regions have Blue Sheep knowncommonly as the Bharal, the, Shapi which is similar to the Himalayan Tahr, the Tibetan Wild Ass, locallyknown as the Kyang and the Himalayan Black Bear.

Sikkim has more than 5000 species of avifauna ranging from the majestic Bearded Vulture with a wingspan ofover 10 ft. to the Olive Ground Warbler, just a few inches in length. Other delightful species include theEmerald Dove, woodpeckers, cuckoos, Kingfishers, and the fairy blue bird.

Source: Sikkim Biodiversity

bring the benefits of tourism to the villages. This hasresulted in the setting up of many village home stays indifferent parts of the state. The Joint ForestManagement Committee (JFMC), Eco-developmentCommmittee (EDC), and Pokhri Sanrakshan Samiti

(PSS; Lake Conservation Committee) are village-basedcommittees established for the purpose of jointmanagement and conservation of forests andbiodiversity under the jurisdiction of DFEWM (JICAReport, 2009) in Sikkim.

To be such a small state, Sikkim has great beauty and

diversity. Because of that, and healthy promotion, its

tourism has increased dramatically. According to the official website of Sikkim Tourism, the

major benefits of the state are that it: Is organic, free of pollution, Features wildlife and eco

tourism, Offers wellness and yoga retreats, has plenty of wildlife to enjoy. Because of the great

diversity of bird life, bird touring has become popular. There are around 600 species of birds,

4000 species of flowering plants, including 600 species of orchids. Other areas of the state offer

waterfalls, hot springs, caves (some considered sacred), ancient monasteries, and adventure

sports. All of this can be enjoyed without giving up modern conveniences.

Home stay recreation can be attributed to involving in the rural lifestyle, Cultural festivals, local

music and dance, traditional games and sports, listening to folk tales and stories, ethnic cuisine,

milking cows and making butter, cardamom weeding and harvesting, paddy cultivation and

harvesting. Sikkim Himalayan Homestay program promotes ecotourism in rural areas of Sikkim,

India. This is an endeavor to help the mountain communities of Sikkim to benefit from low-
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Figure 1: Trend of Tourist Arrivals in KNP; Source: Chettri et al

2008

impact rural tourism. In this way, the cultural heritage of the communities and the beautiful

environment around them can be protected for future generations.

This community based tourism creates a memorable experience for the visitor who gets a chance

to interact with local inhabitants and participate in their daily lives. It also helps local

communities protect their cultural and natural heritage for future generations

Adventure sports like trekking, expeditions Mt. Biking, river rafting, and ski sports are common

activities.

According to figure recorded for inflow of tourist in the state prepared by Tourism Department,

states that till the month of November about 6, 42,969 has been recorded for domestic tourists

and whereas 19,256 International

tourists have paid their visit in Sikkim

in the year 2010.

In comparison to the past years data for

the whole year, there has been an

increase recorded as the total of

domestic tourist visited in the year 2009

was 61, 5,628 and in case of

international tourist it was merely

17,730. The total number is then

expected to reach 700,000 by the end of

2011.9

Sikkim has 43% of its total geographical area under forest cover, of which 34% is under dense

forests (Government of Sikkim, RRSSC, and ISRO 1994). Tourism, a fast-growing industry in

the state, is putting an additional pressure on resources (Rai and Sundriyal 1997; Maharana, Rai,

and Sharma 2000; Chettri, Sharma, Deb, et al. 2002) along with overexploitation by the locals

themselves for different bioresearches like food, fuel, and feed for livestock, construction

material, medicines, etc. (Sundriyal, Sharma, Rai, et al. 1994; Bjonness 1980; Byers 1986; Singh

and Singh 1992; Byers and Banskota 1993; Banskota and Sharma 1994; Chettri, Sharma, Deb

2001; Chettri, Sharma, Deb, et al. 2002).

9http://isikkim.com/tourist-inflow-expected-to-cross-7-lakhs/
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Box 3.Biodiversity in Bhutan

The countrys diverse ecosystems harbor a spectacular

assortment of wild flora. The Royal Botanic Garden of

Edinburgh, which published the Flora of Bhutan, has recorded5,603 species of angiosperms and gymnosperms. These include369 species of orchids and 46 species of rhododendrons of therecorded plant .species, 105 are said to be endemic to Bhutan,found nowhere else in the world.

In addition, the National Biodiversity Centre has recorded 410species of pteridophytes (ferns and fern allies) through ongoinginventories in various regions of the country. There are 14globally threatened bird species and ten restricted range birdspecies in the country. About 80 species of agricultural crops areexpected to occur in the country.

Close to 200 species of mammals are known to occur in thecountry (Wangchuk et al, 2004). These species include a numberof globally threatened mammals such as the Bengal tigerPanthera tigris tigris, snow leopard Uncia uncia, clouded leopardNeofelis nebulosa, red panda Ailurus fulgens, Bhutan takinBudorcas taxicolor whitei, golden langur Trachypithecus geei,capped langur Trachypithecus pileatus, Asian elephant Elephasmaximus, and Himalayan musk deer Moschus chrysogasterleucogaster. Bhutan has an outstanding birdlife: 678 specieshave been recorded and many more are likely to be found in thefuture. Existing records list 50 freshwater fish species. The

country is reportedly expected to have 800 to 900 species of

butterfly.

Source: National Biodiversity Centre, RGoB 2009

3. Tourism in BhutanBhutan is a small country situated

in the Eastern Himalaya and falls

within Himalayan Biodiversity

Hotspot with highest per capitaincomes in South Asia at over

$2,000. The policy of controlled

tourism that was grounded on the

firm belief that uncontrolled tourism

in Bhutan would overburden

Bhutans limited facilities and

threaten the traditional culture,

values and the environment is

implied by the Bhutans

development philosophy that Gross

National Happiness (GNP) is more

important than Gross Domestic

Product (GDP). Yet it is still the

question of low volume to low

impact. Bhutans target to bring in

100,000 tourists by 2012 end is

achievable with more flexible

policies.

Bhutan is one of the safest countries

in the world. Crime rates are minimal

and foreign visitors are treated politely and with respect. The country's history, culture, and

isolation offer a great deal to the more adventurous tourists who have been visiting Bhutan since

1974. The privatization of the tourism sector in 1991 led to fast-paced growth in hotels and travel

agencies. This growth was so rapid that by 2001 there was excess capacity in tourism services.

The failure to fully exploit this capacity is primarily due to government restrictions on the

number of tourists admitted into Bhutan, a policy devised to reduce outside influence upon

national traditions. Consequently, only 6,203 tourists entered Bhutan in 1998, and these people

provided US$7.8 million in much-needed foreign currency. Around 40 percent of these touristscame from EU countries, 24 percent from the United States, and 17 percent from Japan.

Nonetheless, this is a significant rise from the 1993 level of 2,984 where only US$3 million in
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tourism receipts were recorded. The high level of foreign exchange earnings from tourism is

partly due to a compulsory government charge on tourists of US$200 a day10.

Moreover the tourism market is restricted to domestic entrepreneurs, who are usually small scale

operators. It is restricted to specific regions. Currently, tourist activities are concentrated in the

Western and Central part of Bhutan, while the Eastern and Southern Bhutan are not officiallyopen to foreign tourists. Tourism is focused on nature and culture. Tourists visit Bhutan to

witness Mahayana Buddhist culture, pristine mountains and natural beauty.

Bhutan started tourism in the 1970s with a deliberately cautious approach combining both the

experience of nature and culture with having minimum impact. We can see this combined

approach in the contemporary perception of Bhutan's government towards ecotourism, defining

it as styles of tourism that positively enhance the conservation of the environment and/or

cultural and religious heritage, and respond to the needs of local communities (RGoB 2001).

Tourism is viewed as the key to unlock national economic development. So, tourism is receivingmore attention as a core element in the national development policy, as it has the potential to:

increase the contribution of tourism revenue to the national economy; generate revenues,

especially foreign currency; promote awareness of Bhutan's rich cultural, spiritual and ecological

heritage elsewhere in the world; and increase employment opportunities and bring equitable

distribution of income in the Bhutanese society.

According to the Tourism Council of Bhutan, a total 40,873 tourists came to Bhutan in 2010 and

of them 12,000 were high-end visitors. Last year, 27,000 Indians travelled to Bhutan, including

business travelers (IRIB, 2011) and the number is expected to reach 100,000of by the end of

2011. Tourism Council of Bhutan officials indicated that there is an increasing trend on touristinflow. The 2008 records indicated 15% increment in the year 2008-09. 'The aim is to double the

number of tourists from India. However, we have set a target of 100,000 tourists for next year,'

said Chhimmy Pem of the Tourism Council of Bhutan.

Tourism impacts on social and economic life of the people of the region are clearly visible. I

Bhutan most of the edible items such as meat and meat products, groceries, vegetable beverages,

etc. are imported from India, as it does not have the capacity to produce these items. According

to Rinzin et al (2008) through this supply chain a substantial amount of tourism revenue ends up

in the Indian economy and more recently other countries in the region. The negative balance of

trade has increased from 62.5 million in 2000 to 199.0 million in 2004. Locally producedcottage craft is another important sector that influences the economy of the locals.

10 Bhutan's National Tourism organization has embarked on a protection campaign to preserve Bhutan's as the Forbidden

Kingdom of lore. The unofficial word is that yearly tourist numbers are limited to 6,000. Agents serving Bhutan are required to

qualify tourists by charging a minimum of $200.00 per day for services offered.
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Table 2. The State-wise length of the

borders

State Total Length

(km)

Sikkim 32West Bengal 183

Assam 267

Arunachal Pradesh 217

Total 699

The Department of Tourism developed the Bhutan

National Ecotourism Strategy with wide participation by

the tourism industry, including major stakeholder and

industry workshops in April and September 2001. The

Strategy addresses the whole of the tourism sector and

establishes a set of ecotourism related principles

incorporating biodiversity conservation to guide the

future development of the tourism sector.

Ecotourism, which is widely credited by scholars and

policymakers with contributing to conservation and

rural development (Hearne and Santos 2005; Tsaur, Lin

and Lin 2006), has appropriately been recognized by the RGoB as a potential strategy to address

these challenges, including rural poverty (RGoB 1999). The prerequisite for a substantial

promotion of ecotourism would be changes in the Bhutanese tourism policy to encourage the

diversification of tourism products (Gurung et al 2008). A large number of rural youths from the

remote areas are migrating to the cities in search of employment. Most of the existing tourist

destinations are located in the easy accessible areas near to the cities. Promoting livelihood based

ecotourism activities would help youth to stay back and support in rural development. By

attracting younger tourists also, ecotourism could contribute to the goals of Gross National

Happiness in Bhutan.

4. Regional Tourism PotentialIndia shares a 699 Km long border with Bhutan

along Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and ArunachalPradesh. The State-wise length of the borders is in

the table below.

With the biological, economic, and, less

frequently, cultural and social aspects, the role of

actors and institutions in cross-border cooperation

for tourism development has been highly

recognized in both the regions. Country specificpolicies have been more or less effective for

enhancing the livelihood of the people, but the

need is felt for the policies that could endeavor to

makeover with the transboundary regions where

both can benefit through cooperation.Figure 2. Development of tourists entering Bhutan(and main objectives) (Source: RGoB 1997; RGoB2001; DoT 2004
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Since both the regions share similar geography with mountainous features with marginal fragile

landscapes it is also necessary to promote strategic tourism policies that are environment friendly

in nature. For instance the concept of ecotourism has been an important component. The rich

biodiversity and exotic landscape needs a careful planning with an involvement of local people.

Various stakeholders (the private sector and local communities) and institutions (nationaltourism organisations and regional bodies) have an important role to play in transboundary

cooperation for tourism development (EevaKaisa 2007; Sharma et al. 2007; Saxena and Ilbery

2008).

Transboundary development cooperation initiatives by some of the international and national

organisation are worth acknowledging in this context. Some of the major ecotourism projects in

the Eastern Himalayas are: Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Program, Quality Tourism

Project, Sikkim Biodiversity and Ecotourism Project, Transboundary Ecotourism Concept etc.

JICA launched the the Sikkim Biodiversity Conservation and Forest Management Project inMarch 2010. The Project aims to strengthen biodiversity conservation activities and forest

management capacity, and to improve the local peoples living standard that depend their

livelihood on the forest by collecting baseline data and promoting sustainable biodiversity

conservation, afforestation and income generation activities including ecotourism for the

community development. Prior to commence the ecotourism components for the Project, JICA

and Department of Forest, Environment, and Wildlife Management, DFEWM have agreed to

draw the basic ecotourism policy for the Sikkim State. The project is supporting eco-tourism

along with the range of forest management and biodiversity conservation activities (JICA 2010).

Tourism is also highly regulated with respect to conserving local culture, including dress codesand rules for Dzongs, monasteries (In Bhutan) and local festivals. Sikkim has a mixed culture of

Nepalese, Lepchas and Bhatias. At the moment, the impact of tourism on culture has been found

minimal in Bhutan as indicated by Rinzin et al 2004.

Ecotourism Strategy for Sustainable Development in the Indo Bhutan Region should consider thefollowing aspects-

Accommodation: Cheap accommodation facilities should be provided to medium spending groupcategory of tourists; providing accommodation in alternate locations like tea gardens, farmhouseswill reduce congestion of the town.

Transportation: Transportation routes should be improved towards the tourist interest places;State government should have direct participation in the planning of tourist facilities.

Water supply and sewerage: Water supply and sanitation should be improved which requireconsiderable improvements. Recycling of waste can reduce solid waste generation. Waste couldbe dumped/ collected at specified locations.
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Energy: The use of non conventional source of Energy like solar energy should be encouragedfor different purposes.

Finance: Huge amount of finance is needed for infrastructural development in the region; forinstance technical assistance for developmental plans, building infrastructures etc.

Controls: Tourism development should be designed to blend with existing environment for theachievement of development and maintaining natural environment.
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Box 4Sacred Himalayan Landscape- Department of National Parks

and Wildlife Conservation, Ministry of Forestry Government

of Nepal Approach

The Sacred Himalayan Landscape (SHL) is a trans-boundaryconservation area covering 39,021 square kilometers, of whichabout 73.5% falls in Nepal, 24.4% falls in Sikkim and Darjeelingof India and the remaining 2.1% falls in Bhutan.

The SHL builds links with the three major trans-boundaryconservation areas in China, India and Bhutan. The landscape iscontiguous with one of the largest protected areas in Asia, thevast Quomolongma Nature Preserve in Tibet (China) to thenorth. In the east, the SHL-Nepal maintains continuity withKanchenjunga Landscape in India, linking further to the BhutanBiological Conservation Complex that has the natural

connectivity to Toorsa Strict Nature Reserve of eastern Bhutan.

SHL Nepal includes four protected areasLangtang NationalPark, Sagarmatha National Park, Makalu Barun National Park,Kanchenjungha Conservation Area - covering about 22% area(HMGN/MFSC. 2006).

Source: DNPWC/MoF Government of Nepal

5. Transboundary CooperationTransboundary Landscape

Conservation in the Eastern

Himalaya, an ICIMODs initiative

for the regional cooperation startedin 2003 with Transboundary

Biodiversity Management

Programme. The regional

cooperation through applied

research and carryout activities for

biodiversity conservation and

livelihood options along with

delineation of potential conservation

corridors that are needed to make the

landscape more resilient to all

stresses and challenges were

initiated

in Nepal Bhutan and India.

Transboundary biodiversity

conservation in Kanchenjunga Landscape has been used as an effective strategy to minimize

deterioration of transboundary ecosystems.

Wilderness found in the transboundary areas are also subject to higher level of threats, mainlyfrom over extraction of resources, illegal trade, limited livelihood options and policy differences

among the countries (Sharma et al. 2007). ICIMOD with its partners are trying to address the

push and pull issues of conservation and development through a landscape approach to

biodiversity management.

Three kinds of permits for the people of non-Indian nationalities to visit some places in Sikkim

are allowed. Besides, there are certain areas which the people of non-Indian nationalities are not

allowed to visit due to the issue of the border between India and China.

Entry Permit: to enter to Sikkim, all the people of non-Indian nationalities have to get theentry permit prior to visit Sikkim.

Permit for the Entry to Each of the Protected Areas: to enter to each of the ProtectedAreas, all the people including the people of Indian nationalities have to get the permits

from branches at each of the district or the headquarter of DFEWM 11. DFEWM is

currently working on the streamlining the issuing the permits.

11Department of Forest, Environment, and Wildlife Management
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Box 5.

Transboundary Landscape Conservation Policy and InstitutionalInnovations in the Eastern Himalayas: Promoting landscape as a

strategy to climate change adaptation and sustenance of

ecosystem services

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, withsupport from the MacArthur Foundation has been implementing thelandscape approach to biodiversity conservation throughdevelopment of conservation corridors in the KanchenjungaLandscape. The past efforts of six years have brought enrichingexperience and considerable progress in terms of promotingbiodiversity conservation through an integrated approach, linkingconservation with socio-cultural and economic elements; and

building up stakeholders synergy at local, national, and regionallevel. The initiative has brought an inspiring understanding amongthe partners about the significance of conservation at the landscapelevel and has created considerable amount of interest amongscientists, policy makers, and the general public. For theKanchenjunga landscape (KL), national level strategic plans forcorridor development have been developed, and in some cases havealready been integrated into national strategies. The framework forregional cooperation for implementation of the Convention onBiological Diversity has been published and the framework for aregional strategy for the management of biodiversity is underway.

Phase III of the Transboundary Biodiversity Management initiative

gives continuity to past progress in terms of strengthening thecapacity of partner organisations and policy innovations for themanagement of biodiversity in the KL and filling information gaps toaddress the challenges of climate change and other second generationproblems; as well as promoting the concept in another importantlandscape of the eastern Himalayas.

Source: ICIMOD Transboundary initiative in Kanchenjunga

Permit for the Entry to Restricted Areas: all the people of non-Indian nationalities haveto get the permit from Home Department to visit the restricted areas for the foreign

nationalities.

In Bhutan route permits are

required when moving betweenall districts in Bhutan except

from Paro to Thimpu. Permits to

Enter Temples after 2001 the

rules were changed to allow

tourists to visit the courtyards of

dzongs and, where feasible, one

designated lhakhang (temple) in

each dzong but only when

accompanied by a licensed

Bhutanese guide. This provision

is subject to certain restrictions,

including visiting hours, dress

standards and other rules that

vary by district. Because dzongs

are open to all during the time of

a Tsechu. A Buddhist practicener

can apply for a permit to visit

specific dzongs and religious

institutions. This is issued by theNational Commission for

Cultural Affairs.

Besides the individual endeavor

the coordination between the

authorities of both the regions

need to work on easing the

processes of movement within the region. This can be attributed to visa policies, infrastructural

developments and networking capacities among the stakeholders. Also there is a need of bilateral

mechanism to look after the border management and security issues.
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6. Conclusion and DiscussionThe number of tourists visiting the Himalayan region is growing very fast during the recent

years. The data on tourists flow in the Himalayan region is not properly recorded and

maintained; though its implications and contribution in mountain economy are quite significant.

The share of domestic tourism in the economy of the region is overwhelming. Of late ecotourismhas emerged as an important activity in the Himalayan region which includes trekking,

mountaineering river rafting and other nature oriented activities and attracts both domestic and

foreign tourists.

Development of ecotourism which meets the needs and aspirations of the current generation

without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations keeping in mind the

international relations involving the border area activities should be the main agenda for

sustainable development of ecotourism in the transboundary regions of the states.

Natural and cultural features that attract visitors, such as landscapes, endemic or rare flora andfauna, local agricultural products, local culture and tradition including cultural festivals, and

historical monuments and heritage sites are the basic assets of ecotourism of the regions above

mentioned.

Tourism development and promotion activities need to take full advantage of Ministry ofTourism schemes and NEC12/NLCPR13 funding for infrastructure related to the tourism and thehospitality sector in Sikkim. State governments must prioritize tourism, including addressingpriority issues such as making land available. The involvement of communities throughPanchayats and village development boards, as also of the private sector, is of the essence for thedevelopment of the tourism and the hospitality industry in Sikkim. Security for tourist is

essential as for investment in other sectors of development. Infrastructural development alsoinfluences much of the tourism sector. Poor connectivity has been a major impediment to thedevelopment of tourism in NER14. Construction of roads, expansion of rail networks,identification and operation of additional waterways, more frequent flights etc. needs substantialimprovement. Hotels, adventure and leisure sports including ropeways are of concern for therecreational tourism at instance.

The Sikkim-Bhutan transboundary region has a high potential for ecotourism. It is observed that

the lack of friendly transboundary policies and the proper implementation of the existing tourism

policies is the need of time for which both the governments from the local level to the national

level need to be involved intensively. A Bilateral mechanism in the shape of an India-Bhutan

Group on Border Management and Security should be improvised.

Most trekking activities take place at altitude ranging from 1500 and above from the sea level.

These trekkers impose environmental impacts across their routes. Some original tracks have

12North Eastern Council

13North-East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy, 2007 14

North East Region in India
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already changed into deep gorges, making it difficult for livestock and animal movements.

Although tourism activities are not solely responsible for soil erosion in the high mountain areas,

the use of horses and yaks for trekking has a significant impact. However environmental

concerns must also be understood from the perspective of rural development and its impact in

service sector.

Weak enforcements and policing due to remoteness and inaccessibility, unregulated cross-border

trade in high value medicinal and aromatic plants, poaching and illegal trading of animal parts

are common irregularities of Indo-Bhutan region.

Services including transportation, local cuisine, camping, lodging, guiding and interpretation that

come under ecotourism services should cause minimal damage to the natural and cultural

environment and promote a better understanding of the natural and cultural aspects of an area.

Transboundary ecotourism in Indo Bhutan Region is an important ideas taking tourism beyond

political boundaries of the two countries through regional collaboration. Local initiatives,national efforts, regional collaboration and support from donors are needed in order to achieve

sustainable development goal through nature based tourism.
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