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India Spells ‘Responsible Tourism’ at ATM

“India’s concern about responsible tourism has been quite high as we do not wish to see this industry come to a halt because of global warming or carbon footprint,” said Additional Director-General for the Ministry of Tourism, India, Devesh Chaturvedi in an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times. Last year, there was a slow spreading doggedness of opinion among the private players in the tourism industry about how the privatised tourism initiatives brought about responsible tourism in India despite lack of 
governmental support.

Though huge amounts were spent by the tourism board on the Incredible India ads, it spoke nothing of being in with the times or tapping and propagating the country’s tourism worth 
or potential.

In the south Indian state of Kerala, the concept of responsible tourism is taking shape, but is not streamlined enough to assume full form.

Streamlining, in this sense means, an involvement from various stakeholders with different priorities and alignment of local policies and guidelines so as to facilitate multi-stakeholder processes to develop responsible tourism, tacitly 
put, responsibly.

Hopes of an official makeover rose last year when the Minister of Tourism and Home Affairs in Kerala, Kodiyeri Balkrishnan, spoke at a media gathering declaring responsible tourism to be the linchpin of Kerala Tourism Board’s new strategy for 
the state. Conceived in 2002 in Cape Town at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the concept of Responsible Tourism was adopted by the World Travel Mart (WTM) in 2007.

Meant to entail a responsibility on individuals and businesses to keep a check that tourism as a force works for a greater good, Responsible Tourism was outlined to be an experience not for tourists alone, but also for residents and the local communities. Job sustenance, cultural and national heritage conservation were highlighted as its key practical proponents.

To the traveller, it was also a call to explore the true meaning of a trip as Responsible Tourism spelt out its core message — a strong urge to all travellers to give every destination the care and respect it deserves; by learning about its environment and geography; spending time to know its people, their art, culture and history and significantly and by upholding the importance of preserving these treasures for those who may follow their footsteps.

“Responsible Tourism can take various forms. It depends on who would like to define it and there are countless ways one can be responsible about all that is at one’s disposal,” agrees Naturalist at the Spice Village Resort, 
Anand Gopinath.

One of the many properties of the Casino Group Hotel (CGH) Earth Group, the ambience and feel at this resort in the Cardamom Hills in Thekkadi lauds the richness of the Keralite culture and way of living.

A day tour into the property is insightful as Gopinath shows the variety of plant species and how traditional concepts of weeding are done away in an attempt to recreate the ‘jungle feel’ as much as possible. The manure comes from a traditional waste recycle plant, where earthworms feed and decompose waste materials over a period of many months till it can be useful for the countless number of plants and trees in the property.

“Members of the local Mannan tribes weave our bread baskets and do roof thatching for our huts as well. We also have some Mannans accompanying our nature walks as well as jungle trips as they are well-versed with the local terrain,” says Shilendran M, Vice-President, Sales.

A local curio shop that displays only tribal handmade products adds meat to this thought.

Plans are underway to also showcase live displays of basket weaving and other activities practiced by the 
tribal members.

With the biggest threat of globalisation affecting these tribes as well, working with corporates are better and sustainable options to these people than their normal regular paid jobs.

“Life has changed completely for us within the tribes and one cannot find anyone in the traditional attire or the traditional articles in anyone’s house anymore. Working with the tourism board and these corporates does provide us with a source of living and also has given us a better understanding of our own culture,” says Tribal Heritage Tour Guide, Anish Aalparambil.

· jethu@khaleejtimes.com