File picture of birds at Chilika lake

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 20: The United Nations World Tourism Organisation has recognised the Chilika lake, one of the largest brackish water lagoons in the world, among the eight prominent sites across the globe as destinations for migratory birds.

The seven others are in Germany, Senegal, Egypt, Tanzania, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea and China. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) initiative aims at promotion of sustainable tourism in these sites, which are important for water birds.

All the sites are on the four major migratory routes or “flyways” of the birds, which are east Atlantic, west Asian-east African, central Asian and east Asian-Australasian.

The UNWTO had sent a team of experts that visited the lake between January 14 and 15. Later, senior officials of the UNWTO, Wetland International, the Union tourism ministry and the state government held a meeting.

“The experts had a discussion with reformed bird hunters who have become successful tour guides in Mangalajodi and boatmen associated with tourism activities in Barkul, Rambha. The team also visited Nalabana Bird Sanctuary to gain first hand information,” said chief executive of the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) Ajit Kumar Patnaik.

The CDA has introduced several conservation measures for Chilika and taken initiatives for promotion of the community-based eco-tourism in and around the lake. The expert team also interacted with Patnaik during their trip.

“The CDA is already developing an eco-tourism master plan under the ambit of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project for the brackish water lagoon. The UNWTO listing of Chilika will certainly boost the image of the water body and promote responsible tourism and connect to the global network for a better branding and positioning of the site,” Patnaik said.

Aditya Anurag Nanda, a school student in Bhubaneswar, who visited Chilika with his family to watch migratory birds, said: “Chilika is a paradise for nature lovers and especially bird watchers. The site should be promoted globally to attract more tourists.”

Panchami Manoo Ukil, founding member of the Bhubaneswar Bird Walks, a group of young bird-watchers who often go to Mangalajodi near Chilika to watch and document birds, said: “The UNWTO recognition would be a major milestone to boost nature-based tourism in the lake.”

The UNWTO is a United Nations agency that works for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism around the globe. Among its members are 156 nations, six territories and over 400 affiliate members from the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and government agencies.