Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 23: As part of the celebrations of World Tourism Day 2026, a two-day Bird Tourism Workshop was organized for students of the BBA Tourism – Eco-Tourism Club, JNRM, on Sept. 21 & 22. The initiative aimed to introduce young tourism professionals to the rich avifaunal diversity of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and highlight the potential of bird tourism as a sustainable, responsible and nature-based tourism activity.
The workshop combined interactive classroom sessions with practical field birding, covering bird identification, bird-watching techniques, binocular use, field ethics, habitat understanding, nature interpretation and opportunities for local livelihoods linked to responsible tourism. The sessions were led by Shri Arun Singh, local bird expert and founder of Andaman Bird Tour, who familiarized the students with the Islands’ endemic and other significant bird species and provided practical guidance on ethical birding and responsible wildlife observation. Adding a tourism and community perspective, the President, North & Middle Andaman Chamber of Commerce, shared insights into the scope for community-oriented eco-tourism and nature-based tourism, particularly in North and Middle Andaman. The second day took the learning into the field with a birding expedition to Chidiyatapu and Chidiyatapu Reserve Forest. Students gained hands-on experience in observing and identifying endemic, forest and coastal bird species while understanding the importance of habitat protection and responsible interaction with wildlife.
The workshop was supported by the Department of Tourism, Andaman & Nicobar Administration, as part of the activities being undertaken to mark World Tourism Day 2026, under the theme ‘Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.’ The initiative also demonstrated the broader scope of tourism beyond conventional sightseeing by promoting nature-based experiences, conservation awareness and skill development among young tourism students’ The programme brought together education, bird-watching, eco-tourism and conservation, encouraging students to explore emerging opportunities in bird guiding, nature interpretation and responsible tourism, while strengthening awareness of the Islands’ unique natural heritage.