May 1
INDIA:
Award death penalty to poachers: minister
Creating environmental awareness and awarding death penalty to poachers
are essential if adventure tourism is to succeed in India, Tourism
Minister Renuka Choudhary has said.
"There is a need to introduce capital punishment to deter poachers" to
avoid a repeat of what happened in Rajasthan's Sariska sanctuary where no
tigers are to be found today, Choudhary said here Saturday night at the
launch of Hyderabad-based Country Club (I) Ltd's foray into adventure
tourism.
"There is need to create more awareness about wildlife for protection of
animals and promotion of adventure tourism. To realise the growth
potential of adventure tourism, environment awareness should be
(created)," Choudhary asserted.
She cited the example of Australia and South Africa, where protection of
wildlife and bio-diversity is a major focus.
Capitalising on the growing trend of adventure tourism, the Rs.2.5 billion
turnover Country Club announced plans of stepping up investments within
the country and overseas to create getaways for its over 150,000 members.
The listed company's foray into adventure tourism is being marked by the
opening of the first wildlife property Country Club Bush-Betta around 3
kilometers from the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka. Including the new
property, CCIL currently has 16 holiday resorts in the country.
Country Club chairman and managing director Y. Rajeev Reddy said the
company was acquiring property in Ooty and Kodaikannal, as also in Shimla
and other parts of Himachal Pradesh, "to capitalize on the wildlife
tourism potential which is just emerging as a holiday concept in India".
Also on the cards is an Rs.1 billion project for creating an entire
tourism village in Goa.
Country Club, which is a closely held company of the Amrutha Group with 50
percent of the equity held by the promoter family, has set up a separate
company - Country Vacations - to manage the adventure tourism brand for
expansion in the country and overseas through franchises and alliances.
(source: IANS)
