Conclusion

Introduction

This chapter gives the conclusion on the basis of the main findings of the study with regard to the research objectives along with the results of both qualitative as well as quantitative study and the results from prior researches. The study contributions for the theory, practice a as well as the society along with the significance of this study. Emerging research opportunities in the similar and related areas are presented, besides the study implications. Finally suggestions and few recommendations are also explored in tune with the finding of the study to address the sustainable development need of the region while enhancing the quality of the destinations.

According to UNWTO (1998) Guide for Local Authorities on Developing Sustainable Tourism, it is imperative to mange socio-economic impacts while maintaining the sustainability of tourism. In practice, attainment of the perceived objective of ecotourism to meet sustainable development is found to be very far from the reality. This is mostly noticed at destination level, where the human intervention are not institutionalized or regularized. There is a clear gap in the study pertaining to structure of community intervention, its operational dimensions and its resultant output at the destination level.

Quality management practices are considered as the prerequisite for promoting revisit intension and motivate visitors for repeat visitors. This in turn, support word of mouth publicity leading to new visits. As a result, there will be an increase in increased service and good at the destinations enhancing the further consumption. This increased demand positively correlate with the requirement or the creation of new employment and income generating options, hence it is expected that there will be an improvement in economic sustainability of the region. All other dimension of destination sustainability can be achieved if the ecotourism programmes are implemented in letter and spirit.

As Moscardo and Murphy (2014) had pointed out, destination communities should be given an opportunity develop their capacity to manage tourism ventures or destinations. Such development programmes can support in improving their well being through tourism. This is construed as the fundamental initiatives to achieve destination sustainability as well as destination quality.

If the community intervention is institutionalised, there will be regularity in operation, which is found to be the more reliable mechanism for meeting the sustainability and quality of the destination. Such institutionalised form of community cohesion could ensure the attainment of the objectives through effective supervision as well as by delivering quality services to the visitors (Portugal & Babo, 2014).

As the local specific community driven framework has an important bearing on quality aspects as well as sustainability of the destination, existence of a common administrative body found to be the pre requisite for CBE destinations. As Pike and Page (2014) had cited community framework support capacity building to strengthen the managerial ability of community members strengthen and maintain consistency of destination quality.

As reflected in various studies and observations, the local communities has been considered as a major stake and stoke holder Protected Area (PA) based ecotourism destinations. This indicate that activities of these community groups can have a strong bearing on destination sustainability as well as destination quality. In this juncture, the study objective has been finalized. Studying the community intervention strategies of ecotourism in Kerala is the overall objective of this study. both primary as well as secondary objectives of the study is presented here have a clear understanding on the subsequent discussion on the topic of study.