SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN RAMANATHAPURAM COASTAL REGION

Abstract

Tourism is one of the fastest growing areas of international trade, particularly for smaller coastal countries and island countries with limited development options. The growth of tourism has induced many benefits to the coastal areas but its unplanned expansion has also resulted in serious environmental costs. Sustainable tourism implies an approach to development aimed at balancing social and economic objectives with environmentally sound management. Tourism development implies tradeoffs and, in fact, planning for sustainable tourism requires identifying possible constraints or limits for tourism development The Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu has a diverse coastal environment with an extremely rich biodiversity and productivity. The number of visitors to this district is quite high and their interest is increasingly oriented towards non religious tourism destinations. Since mechanized fishing methods were introduced around fifty years ago and since populations of people dependent on fishing for their livelihoods have increased, the marine resources of the Ramanathapuram coast have come under increasing pressure. Many resources are now declining in abundance and diversity and some species risk extinction. Considering the various problems and potentials in the district, there is an urgent need to seek alternative and supporting livelihood options for the fishing communities along the coast of the Ramanathapuram. Sustainable tourism development is amongst the only options available, coupled with community-based sustainable projects. Thus the main aim of the study is "to prepare a blue print for the development of Ramanathapuram coastal region through sustainable tourism development' which benefits the coastal communities and stimulates regional development.