Tourism in coastal west bengal of india: issues, opportunities and challenges

Like all other coastal areas in different parts of the world, the southern coastal tract of West Bengal has also been attracting the visitors and recreationists not only from home but also from abroad which can significantly contribute to the development of tourism as well as regional development in the area under study. Digha, Shankarpur, Mandarmani, Talshari, Bakkhali, Gangasagar, are major such sites of beach tourism along with wildlife ecotourism in the world- famous Sundarbans in the southern parts of 24-Parganas Districts. The present paper attempts to highlight the nature, scope and extent of tourism development in coastal West Bengal along with environmental concerns and their management for the sustainable development of ecotourism. This is a study based on available data and information from the secondary sources substantiated with primary level observations. The objectives in the present context are the management of coastal tourism in general and coastal resorts in particular without hampering the coastal environment in the light of eco-friendly tourism development.