Environmental auditing in ecotourism: a study on visitors' management in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, M.P. (India).

摘要

This paper is based on a study carried out in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh, India) to assess the level of awareness about and the implementation of the rules, regulations and guidelines with respect to the impacts of ecotourism in the Park. Primary and secondary data on the socioeconomic visitations and ecological parameters collected through the Ecotourism Auditing Survey are analysed. The data concerning environmental standards with respect to ambient air quality and noise observed and collected by using High Volume Sampler and Noise Meter with the help of the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board are analysed and discussed. Information relating to tourist demographics and perception collected through a bilingual survey format and information related to the perception of forest staff about the ecotourism collected through structured schedule and personal discussions are also analysed. The impacts of the implementation of the operational guidelines are discussed and the measures for better visitors management in Van Vihar National Park, which may be replicated in other ecotourism areas also, are presented..