• Energy Research

The study aims to identify the policy and practice discordance of ecotourism policy initiatives in India and to understand its implications. Field and participant observation were adopted for collecting data and reviewing secondary sources. Fennel's definition analysis was used to identify the discordance in definition leading to policy and practice of ecotourism based on destinations from five provincial states of India. The study could identify several implications of these discordances, such as the unbalanced emphasis on conservation, less emphasis on local benefits, less effective monitoring, the poor linkage between conservation and incentives, pressure on the local community, democratic deficit, minimal community involvement, reduced ecosystem benefits and meager enhancement in community building. The study made a few suggestive measures to overcome these discordances in tune with constitutional provisions, national development priorities, and sustainable development goals. The study found significance in the context of sustainable development parlance to strengthen ecotourism's policy framework and garner more appropriate development that suits the local conditions.