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Abstract
Globally, island tourism has made a stark presence as a form of special interest tourism. Consequently, the principles of sustainable development are oft discussed in consonance with the nuanced approaches involved in the progression of tourism in the island tourism havens. At times, it is observed that tourism promotion in islands is a tight rope walk as the spots are highly fragile and regarded as the hotspots of invaluable flora and fauna. Thus, conservation through the ideals of sustainable tourism and the forays of development are at loggerheads in the island destinations. This paper analyses the developmental impacts of tourism on the island resources of St.Mary’s Island located in Udipi district of Karnataka. Tourism is one of the mainstays of Udupi. It is a coastal town with carefully carved temples, architecturally splendid buildings, laidback beaches and unexplored forests, surrounded by the Arabian Sea on one side and the Western Ghats on the other. The renowned pilgrim center is the most important city in Karnataka after Bangalore and Mangalore. Malpe beach in Udupi is a spectacular attraction popular among both locals and tourists. There are four rocky islands which are close to the mainland of Malpe beach among which St. Mary's island is the most enamouring. The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of St.Mary’s Island is that it has a niche image as “island having a basaltic rock formation in hexagonal form”. The present study examines the attributes that facilitate sustainable tourism development in the island destination. This study also assesses the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders of tourism in the island. Data have been collected from the tourists and service providers by adopting the interview method. The gap, if any in terms of tourists’ expectations and ecologically sound outcomes shall be brought to light in this study.