DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-TOURISM IN KARNATAKA STATE: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF JUNGLE LODGES AND RESORTS

Abstract

The Karnataka is one of the top ten national tourism destinations in India and was ranked 4th in 2011. The state has various tourism assets such as beaches, hill stations, heritage monuments, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries etc. Given the variety of tourism assets, the state is promoted under the tagline “One state, many worlds”. Tourism is one of the important emerging sectors in the world. It is the second largest industry in the world in terms of generating employment and income. Tourism in India is the largest amenity industry, with a contribution of 7.23% to the national GDP and 9.78% of the total employment in India. For many countries, it is a major source of foreign exchange earnings. In several of the countries, it is mainly dependent on international tourists. Tourism contributes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through its contribution to employment and income. Karnataka rich with attractive beauty is located at the southern part of India. Resourceful with all kind of verities including temples, wildlife sanctuaries, waterfalls, cosmopolitan cities, valleys, hill resorts, beaches etc., Karnataka is a must visit the state in India for all tourist enthusiasts and will not get disappointed. The weather is very moderate at southern districts. The temperature remains ideal throughout the year. Most parts of the Karnataka state are agriculture lands as the state is rich in rivers. The western part has Arabian sea and then the range of Western Ghats follows. This is the eighth largest state in a country equally in area and population. Karnataka is famed for its natural beauty, rich culture and pleasurable climate. In this article researcher discussed about the development of ecotourism in Karnataka. KEY WORDS: Eco Tourism, Jungle, Resort, Forest, Sanctuaries,