Bandipur-Nagarahole safari shutdown pushes wildlife tourism Into crores of losses

With safaris suspended since November, Karnataka’s peak tourism season is hit hard as eco-tourism bodies urge the government to restart operations with added safety measures.

The continued suspension of wildlife safaris in Bandipur and Nagarahole has triggered severe financial stress across Karnataka’s eco-tourism sector. The Karnataka Eco-Tourism Resorts Association (KETRA) has formally urged the state government to restart safari operations, citing massive revenue losses and livelihood concerns.

KETRA has written to the Tourism Minister, pressing for the resumption of safaris by introducing additional safety protocols. The association has stressed that the prolonged shutdown is pushing the industry towards a crisis similar to the COVID-19 period.

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Wildlife safaris across the state have remained closed since November. This has come at a critical time, as the period from December to February traditionally witnesses the highest inflow of domestic and international tourists. Industry stakeholders say the closure during this high-demand window has magnified losses.

The association has clarified that the suspension of safaris has no direct connection with recent tiger attack incidents. It has pointed out that the Nagarahole safari zone is geographically separate from reported incident locations, while Bandipur lies nearly 50 to 100 kilometres away from those sites.

The shutdown has led to daily losses of nearly ₹30 lakh for Jungle Lodges and Resorts alone. Simultaneously, the Forest Department has lost around ₹30 lakh per day in safari fee revenue. In addition, the state exchequer is estimated to be losing ₹60–70 lakh every day in GST collections. Overall, the impact has crossed ₹3 crore in combined daily revenue losses.

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The wildlife tourism sector currently provides employment to around 8,000 people, nearly 80 per cent of whom belong to nearby forest villages and indigenous communities. With safaris still halted, the sector fears that within the next 30 days, nearly 1,200 to 1,500 daily-wage and contract-based jobs could be lost.

KETRA has reiterated that instead of a blanket shutdown, safaris should resume with enhanced safety arrangements to protect tourists, staff, and wildlife, while preventing further economic damage to the sector and dependent communities.