ABVIMAS (Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali ) Project on Ecotourism  :

Today many different types and definitions of ecotourism exist, however The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) give the following definition which has been widely accepted: "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." This means that travelers must think and act responsibly in all aspects of their holiday experience in order to minimise their impacts on the environment and local community. In addition, ecotour companies must hold principles and practices that seek to either preserve conserve the environment and wildlife whilst protecting and empowering the local people.
The following principles should be followed by everyone who implements and participates in ecotourism activities:

• Minimize impact Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect
•  Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts
•  Provide direct financial benefits for conservation  
• Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people  
• Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate 
• Support international human rights and labor agreements 

Further Ecotourism Activities being promoted by ABVIMAS are :

Agro-tourism : This concept is a direct expansion of ecotourism, which encourages visitors to experience agricultural life at first hand. This type of tourism is gathering strong support from small communities as rural people have realised the benefits of sustainable development brought about by similar forms of "green tourism". Visitors have the opportunity to work in the fields alongside real farmers and wade knee-deep in the sea with fishermen hauling in their nets. 

Community based Tourism : The aims are to enable participation from the local community in the development and operations of tourism with their consent and support. Another important feature is that a reasonable share of the revenues are enjoyed by the community. This type of tourism also maintains and respects the local culture, heritage and traditions. Often, community-based tourism actually reinforces and sometimes rescues these. Community-based tourism also implies respect and concern for the natural heritage, particularly where the environment is one of the attractions.

Nature Tourism : This interlinks with ecotourism however it concentrates more on enjoying and respecting the wildlife and the environment without the educational element present in ecotourism.

Pro-poor Tourism : This type of tourism is set up in developing countries as a means to improve the local economy for local people. It enhances the linkages between tourism businesses and poor people, so that poverty is reduced and poor people are able to participate more effectively in tourism development. The aims of pro-poor ranges from increasing local employment to involving local people in the decision making process. Any type of company can be involved such as a small lodge or a tour operator. The most important factor is not the type of company or the type of tourism, but that poor people receive an increase in the net benefits from tourism.

The buzzword of the major industries of the world is “Eco”. We have ecofriendly products, Eco Tourism, Eco camps, Eco Travel; Eco societies anything to do with the environment is a hot topic in the twenty first century. Can find various companies claming to be Ecotour operators, without even realizing the meaning of the word ecotourism. And as the pressures of urban living increase more of these intrepid travelers are seeking pristine natural and cultural sites. The number of visitors to national parks and protected areas and to rural communities continues to rise. And while nature or "eco" tourism is generally considered to have a lower impact than mass tourism - requiring less infrastructure and development - even small scale use can damage the natural resources which attract tourists in the first place but what is the word Eco mean with Simply defined Ecotourism is travel to relatively undisturbed places for the purpose of enjoying natural surroundings. Ecotourism can be also defined as Responsible travel to natural areas, which conserves the environment and sustains the livelihood of local people. 

Activities included in a tour that are designed to entertain clients and are coordinated by a professional guide or interpreter. Over 80 activities have been listed for ecotourism, such as bird watching, hiking, diving, kayaking, participating in cultural events, photography, and mountaineering. 

Ecotourism resources : Natural and cultural features that attract visitors, such as landscapes, endemic or rare flora and fauna, cultural festivals, and historical monuments. 

Ecotourism services : Tourism services such as transportation, food, lodging, guiding and interpretation services which cause minimal damage to the biological and cultural environments and promote a better understanding of the natural and cultural history of an area.

Himachal Pradesh is a hill state nestled in the Western Himalayas. The State takes pride in its natural beauty manifested by the snow clad mountains; alpine pastures containing colorful flowers; landscape dotted with perennial streams, lush green forests, herds of grazing animals, picturesque villages, natives in traditional dresses, and indigenous architecture. The traditional hospitality and crime free society has added to the natural attractions of the state, making it one of the most sought after tourist destination in India. Himachal Pradesh receives about 45 lacs (4.5 million) of tourists annually and this number is growing steadily, in the order of 10 to 30% annually. At selected locations / valleys, adventure tourism activities such as mountaineering, trekking, camping, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, kayaking / canoeing, angling, paragliding, alpine and heli skiing, snowboarding etc. are becoming popular day by day. 
Its also important to write some basic facts on the institute which serves as the most eco friendly institutions in the state. It’s not only practicing ecotoursim but also making guidelines for various activities that have got ABVIMAS in the limelight.