The Pioneer

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has selected Chilika, the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia, as one of the eight global sites for development of sustainable tourism as well as livelihood of the local community that would help maintain its status as a destination for the migratory birds.

The UN body, under its ‘Destination Flyways’ project, would help the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) formulate strategies for protection of migratory birds through creation of innovative tourism and livelihood options with financial assistance from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany.

The case of Chilika was strongly recommended by the Secretariat of the Convention of Biological Diversity (SCBD), the Convention of Migratory Species (UNEPCMS), the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, the World Heritage and Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programmes of UNESCO, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Wetlands International, Birdlife International and UNWTO.

Expressing happiness over this, Chief Executive of Chilika Development Authority (CDA) Ajit Kumar Patnaik said the initiative would boost the image of the lagoon, promote responsible tourism and help it get connected to the global network and branding.

A two-member mission team headed by Virginia Trapa (UNWTO) and Dr Taej Mundkur (Wetlands International) during its visit had met top officials of Union Tourism Ministry and the State Tourism Department last week.

The team later visited Chilika and discussed with the CDA Chief Executive on the management of the lagoon. Before its visit to the Nalabana bird sanctuary, the team interacted with reformed bird poachers and members of the boatmen’s association at Barkul and Rambha.

The team expressed satisfaction over the conservation measures undertaken by the CDA and the initiatives for promotion of community-based ecotourism in and around the lake.

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Chilika named ‘Destination Flyways’ by United Nations