KETRA Calls For Review As Safari Ban In Bandipur–Nagarahole Triggers Karnataka Eco-Tourism Crisis

Prolonged Safari Suspension Puts Livelihoods and Conservation Economy at Risk

The Karnataka Eco‑Tourism Resorts Association (KETRA), which represents eco-resorts, homestays, boutiques, travel tour operators, and nature-based tourism operators across the Bandipur-Nagarahole-Kabini landscape, expressed concern over the prolonged suspension of wildlife safaris in Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserves, in place since 7 November 2025, which has coincided with the peak tourism season in Karnataka. 

While expressing empathy for the families affected by recent tiger attacks and recognising the importance of strong and effective responses to human-wildlife conflict, the Association called for an urgent, science-based review of the existing blanket ban on safaris. It has further stressed that prolonged and open-ended suspensions, particularly in the absence of clearly defined review mechanisms, risk creating a precedent that could weaken long-term conservation planning and threaten the stability of livelihoods dependent on protected area landscapes.

According to KETRA, the ongoing suspension has pushed Karnataka’s eco‑tourism belt into a severe financial and livelihood crisis. Member resorts and associated tourism businesses in the Bandipur-Nagarahole landscape are collectively losing around Rs 3 crore per day due to cancellations and reduced bookings, while Jungle Lodges and Resorts and the Forest Department together are estimated to be losing approximately Rs 60-70 lakh per day in safari‑linked revenues and fees. Occupancies at several properties have dropped from pre‑ban levels of roughly 75-80 per cent in late 2024 to about 30-40 per cent in the same period this year. 

KETRA members estimate that around 8,000 people are directly and indirectly dependent on this sector, with nearly 80 per cent of them from nearby villages and indigenous communities, and 1,200-1,500 daily‑wage and contract jobs at immediate risk if the suspension continues.

It also noted that these losses extend beyond private operators, directly affecting state revenues linked to tourism, conservation fees, transport services, and allied employment across the region. The organization has flagged the broader economic impact on the local economy. With fewer guests, procurement from local farmers and village‑level suppliers covering essentials such as vegetables, groceries, meat, fuel, and other services has already declined substantially, with one member resort alone reporting a reduction of approximately Rs 10 lakh in local purchases over a short period. The Association warns that if the current situation persists, there will be a cascading effect on transport operators, guides, naturalists, boatmen, artisans, and other small enterprises that depend on wildlife tourism.

At the same time, KETRA has emphasised that regulated safaris, when conducted as per National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines and existing state and Supreme Court norms, are not the drivers of recent human–wildlife conflict incidents.

Wildlife experts have consistently noted how conflict incidents are often linked to factors such as ageing or injured animals, territorial stress from rising tiger densities, prey movement, and human activity patterns in fringe landscapes, rather than regulated tourism conducted on fixed routes within core areas. The Association has pointed out that the notified safari tourism zones in Nagarahole are geographically separate from the recent attack locations, and that safari routes in Bandipur lie roughly 50-100 kilometres away from these conflict‑affected areas. KETRA has therefore urged that official decisions distinguish clearly between conflict zones on forest fringes and regulated tourism zones inside protected areas, and that public communication reflects this distinction to avoid misleading perceptions. 

KETRA has written to the State Tourism Minister and other senior authorities, requesting that any continued restrictions be guided by transparent, science‑based assessments and accompanied by a concrete roadmap for safe resumption. The Association also indicated its willingness to support stricter enforcement of NTCA norms, caps on vehicle numbers, and the adoption of lower‑emission, quieter safari vehicles over time, alongside enhanced awareness programmes for local communities on wildlife movement and coexistence.

Members also highlight that many resorts conduct nature walks, birding sessions, conservation talks, and cultural interpretation experiences within legal limits, which serve as important tools for environmental education, especially for urban visitors and children, even while jeep safaris remain suspended. 

A Ketra spokesperson said, “Wildlife tourism, when managed responsibly, also creates nature‑friendly employment for local communities and builds public support for conservation. Our appeal is not to dilute safety, but to move from a blanket, open‑ended suspension to a calibrated, evidence‑driven approach that protects both people, livelihoods, and long-term conservation outcomes.” 

The Association has also called for wider consultation with scientific experts, conservation organisations, local communities, and industry stakeholders to identify the true drivers of recent conflicts, such as land‑use patterns, crop cycles or invasive species, and design long‑term solutions that do not disproportionately penalise regulated tourism.