Ecotourism offers career opportunities

Piler (Annamayya district): The 2-day seminar on ‘Ecotourism and sustainable development’ held under the auspices of Department of Commerce, Sanjay Gandhi Government Degree and PG College, has concluded here on Friday. This seminar was sponsored by Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi.

Dr Ramana Prasad, Regional Joint Director, Tourism Department, pointed out that ecotourism offers numerous opportunities, which youth should use for growth. He stressed the need to overcome the challenges faced in this field while ensuring that tourism development progresses without harming the environment.

Keynote speaker Prof Y Venkata Rao from Pondicherry University said ecotourism has recorded 20–30% growth since 1990s, contributing 6% to global per capita income. Saying that ecotourism generates employment opportunities, he urged students to embrace the benefits and contribute to poverty alleviation. He pointed out that ecotourism has a promising future in Asia and suggested adopting best practices from Europe in this domain.

He also mentioned that the Government of India, through the Amrit Dharohar Scheme launched in June 2023, has intensified efforts to promote ecotourism.

College Principal Dr M Sudhakar Reddy stated that Andhra Pradesh, with its longest coastline, rich forest cover, mountain ranges and river systems, has immense potential for ecotourism. He urged the government to implement robust policies to utilise these resources effectively and lead the State towards development. Convenor Lieutenant Dr Venkataramanaiah; Prof Gangineni Ranganatham from Central University of Karnataka, Gulbarga; Prof Ranganatham, Dr Ramana Prasad, Regional Joint Director, Tourism Department and others spoke at the workshop.