Bhubaneswar/Sambalpur: The community-led ecotourism initiatives at Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary (DWS) and Hirakud Wetland achieved remarkable success, generating revenue of Rs 5.11 crore during the 2024-25 financial years. The success has been driven by hard work and dedication of local communities, effectively managing ecotourism activities which catered to 85,000 tourists. Speaking about the feat, divisional forest officer (DFO) Anshu Pragyan Das said, “A total of 85,000 tourists, including international guests, visited the ecotourism sites. The total revenue generated, Rs 5.11 crore, has been reinvested in the local community for sustainable development, including income generation, village development, and capacity building.” The initiative is successful in providing employment to 85 families and has significantly benefited employees in different sectors, including tour operators, hospitality agents and local handicrafts industries, said the DFO. Women empowerment has been a key aspect of the ecotourism initiative. Margaret Baru, the first female safari driver, and Sangeeta Sikra, the first female eco-guide of the state took pioneering roles.
Tourists from 22 states of India and abroad, including US, UK, and Europe visited the sanctuary – a 40 per cent increase in tourist footfall compared to the previous year. DWS has become a premier wildlife destination, offering sightings of animals such as Indian bison, leopards, bears, and more. Additionally, over 320 species of birds are sighted. Hirakud Wetland has emerged as the second-largest wintering ground in Odisha for migratory birds, hosting 3.77 lakh migratory birds of 122 species. In order to handle the surge in tourist traffic, the management issued ‘Jungle Safari Etiquette’ – SOP for guides, safari drivers and visitors April 1, 2025 for convenience of the tourists. The sanctuary’s landscape supports a self-sufficient ecosystem, fostering biodiversity through its 7 per cent meadow area. This model of community-driven ecotourism highlights the potential for combining sustainable tourism with conservation and economic development for local communities, showing how collaboration can lead to significant environmental and social benefits.
