How Wildlife Tourism Can Help Turn India Into a Force for Conservation — India Report
Skift Take
India's Travel Operators For Tigers India Wildlife Association (TOFTigers) has urged the government to promote nature tourism as a tool to protect wildlife. The association cited studies that have shown that over the past 25 years, 10% of the Earth’s wilderness has been lost.
The wildlife tourism market in India stood at $11.2 billion in 2023, according to business consulting firm Grand View Research . This is expected to grow at a rate of nearly 10% a year from 2024 to 2030, reaching $21.7 billion at the end of the decade.
In its call for re-wilding and conservation of wildlife and sustainable tourism, Vishal Singh, co-founder and director of TOFTiger, said that nature tourism can help support wildlife conservation, rural communities, and re-wilding efforts. “By opening these areas to well-managed, sustainable tourism practices, we can unlock immense ecological and economic value,” he said.
According to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), India accounts for 7-8% of all recorded species. It also has four of the world’s 36 recognized biodiversity hotspots.
Efforts in India: Efforts to promote eco-tourism are gaining traction across India. Prakhar Misra, additional director of Uttar Pradesh Eco-Tourism Development Board, highlighted ini
