WHAT IS ECO-TOURISM?

As the new millennium unfolds, we are becoming increasingly aware of the finite, interconnected and precious nature of our planet home. Likewise, tourism is becoming an increasingly popular expression of this awareness. With advances in transportation and information technology, ever more remote areas of the earth are coming within reach of the traveler. In fact, tourism is now the world's largest industry, with nature tourism the fastest growing segment.
In response to this increasing appreciation of nature experiences, a new travel ethic has arisen which is now called ecotourism. This term has become increasingly popular in both conservation and travel circles.
Eco-tourism means “Environmentally responsible travel to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and accompanying cultural features, both past and present) that promote conservation, have a low visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local peoples."

AS ICSD is a non-profitable. Non political social development organization which is running a tourism promoting campaign in order to promote tourism. As major industry for national economy. ICSD is also concerned with the field of ecotourism for sustainable development thorough exploring and concerning biodiversity.

Nepal possess an area of just 147,181 sq km. (a mere 0% of the world’s total land mass), nevertheless accounts for over 2% of world’s flavoring plants about 8% of the world’s bird species and over 4% of the world’s mammal species. It has also an significant number value for Reptiles, Amphibians, Pisces and other species yet to be identified. Nepal is undoubtedly a biological (as well as a cultural) hotspot that deserves special attention. As biodiversity is responsible for providing essential functions and scenic’s that directly improve human life such as medicine, clothing and industrial products and the vast majority of foods derived from maternally occurring species. In addition species are the key working parts of natural ecosystems. They are responsible for maintenance of the gases composition of the atmosphere, regulation of the global climate generation and maintenance of soils, reacting of nutrients and waste product and others lot’s of factor. Ecosystems surely would not function if all species were lost although it is unclear just how many species are necessary for an ecosystem to function properly. So, ICSD will be playing its vital role in order to exploring and conserving the biodiversity eco-tourism through tourism promoting campaign.