Eco-Tourism- The Enabler and Enhancer of Sustainable Growth

The outbreak of the pandemic COVID-19 maketh the world economy as resilent, lockdown and shutdown. The very existence and emergence of human species on the earth planet is in peril and the sector of eco-tourism is not an exception to that. The Tests, Trails, Therapies, and Treatment (4-Ts’), the 5-Ps viz., Precautionary, Preparedness, Patience, Perseverance, and Promise (5-Ps’) are the imminent and immediate respiratory responses and stimuli before the State and the People. Tourism has been one of the world’s leading and resilenteconomic sectors prior COVID-19, contributing 10.4 per cent of World GDP (US$8.8 trillion), supporting 1 in 10 jobs(319 million) and predicts a cautious optimism of 3 to 4 per cent growth for 2020 (UNWTO) amidst of volatile and outbreak of the pandemic COVID-19. The uncertainty surrounding Brexit, geo-political and trade tensions, and the global economic slowdown had a significant impact and incidence on tourism especially throughout the Asia- Pacific region. The Indonesia experienced a decrease of tourist arrivals by 13.5 per cent, Malaysia saw its tourist arrivals decrease by 6 per cent (Statista, 2020).The ‘Environmentally Conscious Tourism (Eco-Tourism)’ is one of the behemoths of Tourism and defined as a responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, and sustains the welfare and well-being of local people (TIES,2020). It is sustainable only when it integrates economic, environmental and social / cultural dimensions across relevant spatial levels (global, national, and sub-national) (WTTC, 2020). India is a fabulous world of splendours and rages, the one country under the sun with an imperishable interest, the only one planet on the globe that all men desire to see. (Mark Twain). India emerged as a powerhouse in ‘Tourism’ and evolved as a key enabler of Foreign Exchange Earner (FEE).  The total jobs from indirect and induced activity stood at 43.7 million, accounting for 8.1 per cent of the total employment in 2019. By 2029, the sector will  directly and indirectly provide employment nearly to 53 million people, grow at 6.7 per cent to reach INR 35 trillion and taking its share to 9.6 per cent of GDP (FICCI, 2019). Then mala in Kerala is the 1^st planned Eco-Tourism Destination in India (IBEF). The State of Andhra Pradesh is in the lap of the nature with its natural scenic beauty, flora and fauna inhabiting varied eco-systems ranging from semi-evergreen forests, moist-deciduous, dry-deciduous, coastal mangroves and fresh water to brackish water eco-systems and blessed with a rich bio-diversity and its canopy density widely changes in different months (APFDCL). The diverse attractions ranging from deep blue beaches, wildlife sanctuaries to heritage sites in and around Amaravati that hark back to the opulent lifestyles of Satavahanas emerged as one of the India’s most preferred Eco-Tourist Destinations. The Sun Rise State has rich culture and heritage, caves and museums, a wide array of ancient sculptured temples, scenic hill ranges, unexplored forests, and endless beaches (APTDC).The State of Andhra Pradesh is an eco-tourism paradise, and an abode of eco-parks, eco-spots and eco-sites beseeches and continues to fascinate the nature lovers, shutterbugs, picnickers and tourists all-round the year. In this vein, the paper presents an apple’s-eye-view of ‘Eco-Tourism’ in comprehension and the ‘Promotional Strategies adopted by the Sun Rise State of Andhra Pradesh’ in composition. Simply, ‘Tourism Andhra Pradesh’ makes ‘Tourist Appeasementa Truism’.