Devising an electronically supported heritage conservation method for the Valley of Flowers in the Indian Himalayas

ABSTRACT

The Valley of Flowers is a national park in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in India that was classified as a world natural heritage site in 1988. Around 1982, its maximum carrying capacity was fixed at 60 persons per day, which has been called excessive by experts and observers, given the extremely fragile and immensely valuable nature of the Valley's heritage. This, in monetary terms, can be put at millions of dollars, and is considerably more viewed in terms of knowledge of breeding medicinal plants in cold climates that are being affected by climate change, which its microclimate and ecology present. Given the state's poor resources and the fact that tourism is one of the most important industries for development and conservation, this research assesses the heritage value of the Valley and develops a programme for conservation, including a computerised program for permits, whose value can easily be raised from the current paltry Rs 150 per person. Accompanied by fallow periods and marketing through the Internet to aim for educated tourists, the program ensures that the maximum carrying capacity of the Valley is never exceeded, thus spreading out the number of tourists over its 3.5-month season, while allowing flexibility in booking for chance groups and small families that can pay more.

KEYWORDS:

• Heritage value
• mountain ecosystems
• conservation
• computerised reservation system
• medicinal plants

Notes on contributor

Sagar Singh has been associated with the Centre for Tourism Research and Development, India, since 1988, and has been on the editorial board of the journals Tourism Recreation Research and Tourism Management. He has specialised in the anthropology of tourism, and has written on culture, heritage and pilgrimage in India, including the Himalayas, economic anthropology and tourism, tourism education, tourism management and marketing, and ecotourism. He is the author of two books and has an education in computer programming.