Journal Press India^®

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There have been remarkable developments in nature tourism around the world. It creates an opportunity but also poses a challenge when it comes to the conservation of natural habitats in protected areas. In India, specifically on the eastern coastal belt of Odisha state lays the globally significant habitat of Bhitarkanika mangroves. Increasing tourism pressure is putting Bhitarkanika National Park, one of the few places with a diverse array of flora and fauna under threat in the world today. In this research, we explore the challenges faced by Bhitarkanika National Park when it comes to carrying capacity and sustainable tourism management. A qualitative descriptive analysis method is employed based on secondary sources such as government documents, statistics, management guidelines, and scholarly articles. The findings of this research point out visitor growth, ecological sensitivity, disturbances caused by tourists to saltwater crocodiles and other birds, poor infrastructure facilities, and climatic changes as the challenges Bhitarkanika is facing now. Some of the management recommendations include zoning, digital monitoring, community-based ecotourism, seasonal regulations, and sustainable infrastructure development.

Keywords

Carrying capacity, ecotourism, mangrove ecosystem, sustainable tourism, protected areas, visitor management, Bhitarkanika

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