THE Supreme Court of India has lifted its ban on tourism in the core zones of more than 40 government-run tiger reserves in time for the start of the peak tourist season.
Tiger tourism had ground to a halt in July when the court issued a temporary banning order upon receiving complaints that commercial activity was impacting the native tiger population.
The rescinding of the ban will allow tourists back into 20 per cent of core zones within reserves, and comes in the wake of new guidelines for tiger conservation enacted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
The new rules disallow the construction of any new tourism infrastructure and outline the gradual removal of all permanent structures within core tiger habitats.
P P Khanna, vice president, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India, said: “Tiger tourism is vital for tour operators as 25-30 per cent of business is based on it. With the ban lifted, we expect an influx of tourists again in all tiger reserves.”
Vishal Singh, director, Travel Operators for Tigers India, said: “The lifting of the ban will allow legitimate businesses to continue to showcase India’s very best natural heritage.”
However, some inbound operators such as Amaresh Tiwari, managing director, A T Seasons & Vacations Travel, feel the decision may have come a little too late.
“As there was anxiety about the future of tiger tourism in India, a lot of bookings for October and November were affected. A few bookings were cancelled and a few diverted to the cultural sector,” he explained.
