Abstract

Eco tourism in Maharashtra has become a potent tool of sustainable development through unity of conservation of the environment, economic development and social welfare. The variety of ecosystems and the high cultural heritage of the state provide a lot of potential to develop ecotourism. The results indicate that eco tourism facilitates the creation of employment opportunities, rural development and conservation finance besides increasing environmental awareness of local people. Nevertheless, overtourism, inadequate infrastructure, environmental degradation, and poor stakeholder coordination among others are some complications in ways of having sustainable improvements. Policies by the government and involvement by the community play a pivotal role in tackling such issues and enhancing the management practices. It concludes that ecotourism, when done with the right mindset, may be an important instrument in preserving the natural resources and the realization of the sustainable development agendas in Maharashtra.