LOCAL PEOPLE’S ATTITUDE AND PERCEPTION TOWARDS ECO TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM INDIA

Ecotourism perceived as a tool for conservation and sustainability across the globe. Ecotourism has become the buzzword and need of this hour focusing community development and conservation. The present study was conducted in five tourism sites in India (western Odisha) to identify the problems and prospects and also to investigate the attitude and perceptions of local people towards eco-tourism development. The study was undertaken through a sociological survey research design having 570 numbers of local people residing within the piloted study area. The research study was dependent on both primary and secondary data from which analysis was done to reach the conclusion. Structured questionnaire and focus group discussion was applied for one to one interview with village people. Quantitative data from the questionnaire was used in the SPPS package for analysis.


INTRODUCTION
Tourism is one of the world's fastest-growing economic sectors and a vital engine of socioeconomic advancement (Nasir, Mohamad, Ghani&Afthanorhan, 2020). Ecotourism has become a burgeoning sector of the tourism industry across the world (Carvache, Segarra&Carrascosa, 2019;Xie&Sun, 2019;Vinaya&Binoy, 2020). The primary goal of eco-tourism is to safeguard and conserve nature, natural resources, and the environment. Ecotourism promotes responsible tourism in natural areas, which helps to conserve the environment, includes learning, promotes awareness, and ensuring the prosperity of indigenous communities (TIES 2015).The potential of ecotourism has gone beyond by offering protection both to the environment and local marginalized community people. The growth and development of eco-tourism in recent times soaring high and the benefits are availing by multiple stakeholders. Ecotourism is expected to expand at a 5% annual development in order to identify its positive and negative indicators for conservation and preservation. Both from the supply and demand side, local people's contribution and participation are very much essential in order to maintain their harmony with conservation (Choi &Sirakaya 2006). Jalani (2012) suggests that the rate of development of eco-tourism is directly proportional to the generation of various facilities for the benefit of local people. Hence it has been always regarded as a growth propeller used by the local and regional government and stakeholders' for the benefits of visitors and the local community. Das (2013) defines in tribal populated eco-tourism destination; the local activity is primarily concerned with the conservation of the environment and local community development. Western Odisha was chosen as the case to investigate the sustainability of introducing ecotourism, to these rural/ tribal areas. Potential environmental, social and economic impact caused by ecotourism development area researched throughout the study. Therefore, a holistic case study of five tourism sites of Western Odisha is done to identify the problems and prospects that need to be recognized prior to development. Hence a qualitative analysis has been done to find out the local community perception towards eco-tourism development.
The study undertaken by (Deori& Das 2013) in DeeparBeel Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam reveals the opportunity for the empowerment of the local community as well as the protection of natural ecology and wildlife. Kerala a popular hotspot for ecotourism development and various forest management project demands the local people's participation for its successful conservation and sustainability (Thampi 2005). Similarly, Arunachal Pradesh an exotic place for wildlife, calls for the local community involvement for subsequent revenue generation and fulfills the objective of protecting the natural ecology (Athreya 2006). The research was undertaken by Woodroffe, Thirgood, &Rabinowitz, (2005) and their outcomes provide positive support in the stride of eco-tourism as helps to generate revenues and protect their values and essences as well as nature and biodiversity.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
1. To identify the attitude and perceptions of local people's towards ecotourism in the Western Odisha 2. To determine the level of involvement and participation of local people within and around the eco-tourism places. 3. To investigate the factors affecting the attitudes and perception of local people towards eco-tourism development STUDY AREA The serene, sublime, and scenic beauty of Odisha is the natural hotspot for various tourism activities. It is not only scattered around the eastern and southern part of Odisha, but most of the unexplored and virgin tourist destinations are in a hidden stage in the western part of the state. This western part of the state has been densely populated by the indigenous tribal people who are extremely close to nature and the environment. Hence in the context of the present study of five areas named and Sambalpur . The five eco-tourism destinations are scattered around the three different and adjoining districts in the state of Odisha, namely Sundhargarh, Sambalpur, and Kalahandi.The khandadhar waterfall is located Sundargarh district of Odisha and it is the 12th highest waterfall in India, and its natural and enchanting beauty attracts a lot of tourist from all corners. The adjoining place of this waterfall is full of natural resources and iron ores. The tribal community PaudiBhuyan and Munda depend on this place for their livelihoods forever. Hirakud Dam is the largest dam in Asia built across the MahanadiRiver located in the district of Sambalpur. Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is a very popular wildlife sanctuary located in the district Sambalpur, a natural habitat for numerous kinds of flora and fauna. Nrusinghanath is a popular religious place adjacent to the picturesque reservoir Hirakud, located in the district of Baragarh. The temple of Sri Nrusinghanath is situated at the bottom of the Gandhamardan Mountain which is approximately 3234 feet high. The Nrusingnath has enormous tourist potential due toblending of human, natural, cultural, ethnic attractiveness, religious attractions, heritage monuments, and deep forest.Most international visitors seek ethnic and cultural mosaics, adventure, and eco-tourism, whereas domestic visitors are drawn to religious attractions, animals, and flora and faunaKarlapat Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Kalahandi district and a very popular tourist attraction of Odisha. The beauty of perennial waterfalls is a major source of attraction here. A waterfall called Phurlijharan is located in the vicinity of this sanctuary.

METHODOLOGY
The exploratory research approach was applied in this research to gather relevant information from the target group.It also enables for the premise of doing an investigation of local people's attitudes and perceptions concerning ecotourism development in Western Odisha.A total of 570 local people from the adjoining villages close to eco-tourism places were selected for the study. Both the primary and secondary data collection methods were used. Data were collected by using the self-administeredquestionnaire and focus group discussions are also conducted with 20 respondents from five eco-tourism sites mentioned in the study, who are staying very close to these sites for 20 years. Note. Compiled from the field study 2019

RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS
Table (1) reveals the primary data collection from the field survey in the piloted areas of intended eco-tourism development, where there is a higher percentage of male (66.6 %) respondents compare to the female (34.4%), also from the male segment, higher percentage of male youth are living in the villages so that most of the ecotourism activities could be carried by them, which are mentioned in the next page of analysis.
The occupation of the local people also determines the success and failure of ecotourism development in the proposed sites. The above study depicts that most of the local people have been engaged in the cultivation of grains, cereals, paddy, and wheat (40%), and very few have been working in organized and government sectors. Education is also a very essential part of the local people in order to create awareness about eco-tourism development. But the primary study envisages that a lower percentage of (27%) are literate up to the primary level. A very less percentage of are intermediate (1.5%) and graduate passed (1.0%).  Table (2) reveals the respondents' level of involvement and participation in eco-tourism activities. A minimumof (37.1%) of local people know about the ecotourism location in their areas. The table also reveals that there is less involvement of local people in ecotourism activities; it's a mere percentage of (33.1%). In the process of ecotourism development, the local authority and government officials play a very crucial role by motivating the local people towards the benefits of eco-tourism. Hence in this context from the research study, it has been clearly mentioned that a higher percentage of (51.2%) of local authority come forward for the ecotourism activities. The level of awareness also very good touching the percentage of (37.8%) that initiates the local people to perform various kinds of role in the ecotourism activities like most of the local people takes the role of local transporter(48.9%) providing the communication facilities to the tourists and visitors and other works. Similarly, very few of them are also takes the role of a tourist guide (1.9%) and conservation staff(6.8%). The happiness quotient of the local people towards ecotourism development is also very satisfactory touching the percentage of (66.5%). The eco-tourism activities have benefited them to a greater extent showing a high percentage of (65.9%), where the direct benefit is (40%) and indirect benefit is (60%). Ecotourism always focuses on community participation and enhancing the livelihood (73.1%) of the local people, showing a higher level of overall improvement (68%) percentage. The perception of local people about the livelihood and economic condition due to the ecotourism development was also born a high percentage of (73.1 %) and (70.5%). The local people also agree that the various activities of eco-tourism help in the conservation and protection of wildlife and sanctuary, which shows a percentage of (47.1%). Sustainability is the new buzzword of the eco-tourism practices, and the local people observe the various sustainability practices (69.2%) emerges from this eco-tourism development and also positively(73.4%) influences the overall segments of the local people. The above table reveals the local People's perception towards the ecotourism development in the piloted areas like Khandadhar waterfall, Hirakud Dam, Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Nrushuinghnath Temple, and Karlapat Sanctuary. The local people are going along with the flow of ecotourism development that shows the percentage of (37.1%) and (44.5%). The eco-tourism has benefitted them in many ways showing a percentage of (53.1%) and (33.6%), and also significantly contributes to the infrastructure development in the piloted areas.The perceptions of the local people also speak and show a highly positive trajectory in the terms of economiccondition(60.3%),health education, sanitation and safety measures(36.3%), empowerment(38.4%), and conservation and protection (44.3%) the wildlife sanctuary. The percentage rates of positive (34.1%)