Tadoba mulling cycle trail for tourists
Nagpur: Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) is exploring the feasibility of starting a cycle trail, along the periphery buffer area where villages abound, as an option for activities in which tourists can indulge.
Although private resorts provide cycles for their guests, there is no official 'cycle trail' in Tadoba.
Prabhu Nath Shukla, field director of TATR, said, "It's at the planning stage as we not only have to map out the cycle trail route but also factor in what support the tourist has there. Suppose a tyre gets punctured en route, then what support system can be provided."
The trail will have GPS tagging of all villages and facilities available there.
If the plan is approved and implemented, then TATR will gain another attraction for tourists to partake in.
This trail might be a long winding one, as well as a shorter option for those who do not wish to stretch things too far. So far, there is a plan to offer a 'guide' service as all will be on cycles. This is the reason why the trail has to be mapped out through proper roads passing through villages.
TATR is pushing ahead with multiple reforms to offer a plethora of choices to tourists.
TOI reported their plans to hire an Artificial Intelligence (AI) officer who will use data to help with better management of the forest.
The forest department is also on the lookout for an 'official partner' who will design customised experiences for tourists and market them globally. This will help TATR to not just be a 'tiger sighting' destination, but rather evolve as a place where wildlife as a whole can be experienced through different layers.
One part is the rich biodiversity of the forest, which houses flora and fauna that TATR also wants tourists to see and appreciate. The other part is the culture of tribal communities that dot villages around TATR. The rich heritage that the rural population carries is also something that tourists may get to see up close, as TATR formulates a 360-degree tourism strategy.
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