Lok Sabha Question No. 147 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-22
Subject: Overcrowding at Tourist Places.
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Adv Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.147 ANSWERED ON 22.07.2024

## OVERCROWDING AT TOURIST PLACES

## 147  ADV DEAN KURIAKOSE:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of crisis caused by overcrowding at popular tourist destinations;
- (b) if so, the details thereof crises and the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve infrastructure; and
- (d) whether  the  funds  allocated  by  the  Government  for  funding  for educational  campaigns  and  information  dissemination  initiatives aimed at promoting responsible?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF TOURISM            (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (d): The  Ministry    under    the    budget    allocation  of    existing schemes and  programmes undertakes  various initiatives to educate and sensitize    masses    and    tourism    stakeholders  about  the    importance  of responsible and  sustainable  tourism.  The Ministry,  with the objective  to develop sustainable tourism  destinations,  has revamped its  scheme of Swadesh Darshan as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 to provide  financial assistance to the State Governments/UT Administrations to develop tourism experiences, carrying capacity of destinations being a key focus area. The Ministry of Tourism has noted that due to unplanned and haphazard growth of  tourism,  many  destinations  are  facing  the  adverse  impact  on  local environment,  culture  and  civic  services  which  has  led  to  over  tourism, degradation of physical environment and alienation of local community at many  destinations. In order to minimize the negative  impacts and maximise  the  positive  impacts  of  tourism,  sustainable  and  responsible tourism is the key under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme. The Scheme encourages to implement sustainable and responsible tourism practices in various  projects  and  initiatives  and  adoption  of  principles  of  sustainable tourism including environmental sustainability, socio-cultural sustainability  and  economic  sustainability.  Under  the  Swadesh  Darshan 2.0 scheme, the Ministry of Tourism has identified 57 destinations across 32 States/UTs for development and has sanctioned 29 projects, the details of which is annexed. Understanding the impact of tourism on major natural and built environment, pressure on fragile ecosystems and considerable pressure on host communities, the Ministry of Tourism has envisaged Travel for LiFE (TFL), a program  for tourism sector under  Mission  LiFE, to create awareness  about  sustainable  tourism  and  to  nudge  the  tourists  and tourism  businesses  to  adopt  sustainable  practices  synchronous  with nature. The program aims to mainstream sustainability into tourism and to develop  a  sustainable,  responsible  and  resilient  tourism  sector,  and focuses on circular economy and large scale behavioural changes. The  Ministry  of  Tourism  has  also  formulated  a  National  Strategy  on Sustainable Tourism with the mission to increase the economic, social and environmental  benefits  to  build  a  low  carbon,  inclusive  and  resilient tourism sector in India. In addition, Green Tourism was identified as a priority area during the G-20 Tourism Ministers' meeting held at Goa in 2023.

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## ANNEXURE

STATEMENT IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.147 ANSWERED ON 22.07.2024 REGARDING OVERCROWDING AT TOURIST PLACES BY ADV DEAN KURIAKOSE.

List of 57 destinations identified for development under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme

|   S. No. | States/Union Territory   | Destinations Selected/Identified                                     |
|----------|--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh           | Gandikota, Arakku-Lambassingi                                        |
|        2 | Arunachal Pradesh        | Nacho, Mechuka                                                       |
|        3 | Assam                    | Jorhat, Kokrajhar                                                    |
|        4 | Bihar                    | Gaya, Nalanda                                                        |
|        5 | Chhattisgarh             | Bilaspur, Jagdalpur                                                  |
|        6 | Goa                      | Porvorim, Colva                                                      |
|        7 | Gujarat                  | Dholavira, Dwarka                                                    |
|        8 | Haryana                  | Panchkula (Morni)                                                    |
|        9 | Himachal Pradesh         | Pong Dam                                                             |
|       10 | Jammu & Kashmir          | Basholi                                                              |
|       11 | Jharkhand                | Chandil                                                              |
|       12 | Karnataka                | Hampi, Mysuru                                                        |
|       13 | Kerala                   | Kumarakom, Kozhikode (Beypore)                                       |
|       14 | Madhya Pradesh           | Gwalior, Chitrakoot                                                  |
|       15 | Maharashtra              | Sindhudurg, Ajanta-Ellora                                            |
|       16 | Manipur                  | Moirang (Bishnupur)                                                  |
|       17 | Meghalaya                | Shillong, Sohra                                                      |
|       18 | Mizoram                  | Aizawl, Champhai                                                     |
|       19 | Nagaland                 | Niuland, Chumukedima                                                 |
|       20 | Odisha                   | Koraput, Debrigarh along with special attraction of 'khinda village' |
|       21 | Punjab                   | Amritsar, Kapurthala                                                 |
|       22 | Rajasthan                | Bundi (Keshoraipatan), Jodhpur                                       |
|       23 | Sikkim                   | Gangtok, Gyalshing                                                   |
|       24 | Tamil Nadu               | Mamallapuram, The Nilgiris                                           |
|       25 | Telangana                | Bhongir, Ananthagiri                                                 |
|       26 | Tripura                  | Agartala, Unakoti                                                    |
|       27 | Uttar Pradesh            | Prayagraj, Naimisharanya                                             |

| 28.   | Uttarakhand   | Pittoragarh, Champavat   |
|-------|---------------|--------------------------|
| 29.   | Chandigarh    | Chandigarh               |
| 30.   | Lakshadweep   | Lakshadweep              |
| 31.   | Puducherry    | Puducherry, Karaikal     |
| 32.   | Ladakh        | Leh, Kargil              |
|       | Total         | 57                       |

## List of 29 sanctioned projects under Swadesh Darshan 2.0

|   S. No. | State /UT      | Destination   | Interventions Name                        |   Sanctioned Cost (Rs. in Crore) |
|----------|----------------|---------------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|        1 | Karnataka      | Hampi         | Setting up of 'Traveller nooks'           |                            26.3  |
|        2 | Karnataka      | Mysuru        | Tonga ride Heritage experience zone       |                             4.12 |
|        3 | Tamil Nadu     | Mamallapuram  | Immersive experience at Shore Temple      |                            30.02 |
|        4 | Telangana      | Bhongir       | Bhongir Fort Experiential Zone            |                            56.81 |
|        5 | Madhya Pradesh | Gwalior       | Phoolbagh Experience zone                 |                            16.73 |
|        6 | Rajasthan      | Bundi         | Spiritual Experience, Keshoraipatan       |                            17.37 |
|        7 | Sikkim         | Gangtok       | Gangtok Cultural Village                  |                            22.59 |
|        8 | Telangana      | Ananathagiri  | Eco tourism zone at Ananathgiri forest    |                            38    |
|        9 | Punjab         | Kapurthala    | Eco Tourism experience at Kanjili wetland |                            20.06 |
|       10 | Puducherry UT  | Karaikal      | Karaikal beach and waterfront experience  |                            20.29 |
|       11 | Uttarakhand    | Pithoragarh   | Rural Tourism Cluster Experience at Gunji |                            32.2  |
|       12 | Uttarakhand    | Champawat     | Tea Garden Experience                     |                            11.21 |
|       13 | Kerala         | Kumarakom     | Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary                  |                            13.92 |

|       |                   |                   | Experience                                      |        |
|-------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------|--------|
| 14    | Meghalaya         | Sohra             | Meghalayan age Cave Experience                  |  32.45 |
| 15    | Andhra Pradesh    | Araku- Lambasingi | Borra Cave Experience at Araku                  |  29.87 |
| 16    | Karnataka         | Mysuru            | Ecological Experience Zone                      |  18.36 |
| 17    | Arunachal Pradesh | Mechuka           | Mechuka Cultural Haat                           |  18.48 |
| 18    | Assam             | Kokrajhar         | Kokrajhar Wetland Experience                    |  26.67 |
| 19    | Assam             | Jorhat            | Reimagining Cinnamara Tea Estate                |  23.91 |
| 20    | Madhya Pradesh    | Chitrakoot        | Spritual experience through ghats of Chitrakoot |  27.21 |
| 21    | Sikkim            | Gyalshing         | Eco-Wellness Experience at Yuksom Cluster       |  15.4  |
| 22    | Arunachal Pradesh | Nacho             | Unlock Nacho Expedition                         |  14.02 |
| 23    | Uttar Pradesh     | Naimisharanya     | Vedic- wellness Experience                      |  15.94 |
| 24    | Arunachal Pradesh | Mechuka           | Mechuka Adventure Park                          |  12.75 |
| 25    | Ladakh UT         | Leh               | Julley Leh Biodiversity Park                    |  24.89 |
| 26    | Ladakh UT         | Kargil            | Exploring LOC and Hundarman village Experience  |  12.01 |
| 27    | Meghalaya         | Sohra             | Waterfall Trails experience                     |  27.84 |
| 28    | Uttar Pradesh     | Prayagraj         | Azad Park and Dekho Prayagraj Trail Experience  |  13.02 |
| 29    | Nagaland          | Chumoukedima      | Tribal Cultural Experience at Midway Retreat    |  21.56 |
| TOTAL | TOTAL             | TOTAL             | TOTAL                                           | 644    |

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