Tourists give sanctuaries a miss

AHMEDABAD, July 13: The Gir National Park -- the only abode of the Asiatic lion -- draws thousands of tourists to Gujarat. But now many p...

AHMEDABAD, July 13: The Gir National Park — the only abode of the Asiatic lion — draws thousands of tourists to Gujarat. But now many prefer Kanha in Madhya Pradesh, Ranthambhor in Rajasthan or other wildlife sanctuaries in the country, thanks to a manifold increase in the entry fee at all the sanctuaries of the State.

The hike is particularly steep for foreigners and tour operators have already started receiving cancellations. Says Dhanraj Malik of Desert Coursers, which organises safaris in the Wild Ass Sanctuary of the Little Rann of Kutch, “It (the hike) is just not acceptable to foreigners.” He had bookings up to the year 2001, but at least eight groups of foreigners have backed out after the hike.

The tour operators have sent representations to the Government, protesting against the hike. Forest Minister Kanjibhai Patel says these are being considered, but maintains that the hike will not affect the tourism industry. The entry fee had not been raised “for the last 20 years,” he said. A senior officer claimed that the rates were “comparable to that of other states.”

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Gujarat has 21 sanctuaries and four national parks. But it is the Gir National Park and Wild Ass Sanctuary which are the most popular. In Gir, the entry fee has been hiked from Rs 5 to Rs 30 for Indians and from Rs 20 to $5 for foreigners. The entry fee for vehicles has been raised from Rs 20 to Rs 100 for Indians and to $ 10 for foreigners for three days, with an additional Rs 20 and $ 5, respectively, for each extra day.

That’s not all. For still photography, the fee for Indians has been raised from Rs 5 to Rs 50 and for foreigners from Rs 20 to $5. For carrying a non-professional movie/video camera, Indians have to pay Rs 2,500 and foreigners $200. For professional documentary film-making, the rate has been raised from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 for Indians and $200 for foreigners. Besides, film-makers will have to pay a hefty security deposit: Rs 25,000 for Indians and $2,000 for foreigners in case of feature films and Rs 15,000 for Indians and $2,000 for foreigners for documentary films. In the State’s other sanctuaries also, the increase has been steep.

Tour operators are unanimous that the hike will kill the industry. Says Mujaheed Malik of Rann-riders Camp who organises safaris for foreign tourists, “Each tourist will have to shell out an extra Rs 750 on a one-day safari to the Wild Ass Sanctuary, but many of the tourists who come here are on a limited budget.”

Randhirsinh Vaghela of Garha Tours and Travels says it is not easy to spot a lion in Gir and there is very little other wildlife. “So, why will the tourists pay so much?” he asks. Vaghela said that in addition to the regular charges, tour operators have to spend on hiring private vehicles at the rate of $ 6 per person because “the Forest Department has only three jeeps”.

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Dhanraj wonders whether the hike in charges will mean better service or is it that the Forest Department just wants to make money. He is also critical of the disparity between the rates for Indians and foreigners. “For a vegetarian meal, an Indian pays Rs 70 but a foreigner pays $5. Why this discrimination?” he asks.