TOURISM – WILL IT BE REGULATED?
Pilgrimage Tourism in Sensitive Areas
- The Himalayas house revered pilgrimage destinations like Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand; Manimahesh, Jwala Devi, Chintpurni, Naina Devi in Himachal Pradesh; Vaishno Devi, Amarnath in J & K; and Khecheopalri in Sikkim. Unfortunately, these ecologically fragile sites lack sufficient transport, lodging, waste disposal, and other visitor amenities despite increasing pilgrimage numbers. Moreover, there’s no comprehensive mechanism to regulate infrastructure or control visitor volumes, putting these ecosystems and cultural heritage sites under unsustainable pressure.
Impact of Commercial Tourism
- Commercial tourism—such as hotels, resorts, trekking, and adventure activities—adds further strain. The Himalayas’ rich biodiversity and unique cultural identities are being impacted by overdevelopment, habitat fragmentation, and altered social dynamics in towns like Nainital, Mussoorie, Shimla, Manali-Kullu, Gangtok, etc. This highlights the need for community-based ecotourism as a viable and sustainable alternative.