The Hindu Business Line : Treading lightly, travelling responsibly

As the rains begin to wrap Kerala in a wet cloak of shimmering luminescence, many people would choose to remain indoors rather than risk the vagaries of the annual monsoon. That is a real pity, for, as most Keralites will tell you, God's Own Country never looks better than during the monsoons.

That is the unique selling proposition that Kerala Tourism is hoping to dangle before potential visitors to the State as it seeks to market the magic of the monsoon to the world's travellers.

More telling, from the tourism industry's point of view, was last week's announcement by Minister for Home and Tourism, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, about the village tourism development project dubbed "My Village, A Tourism Friendly Village". The project, aimed at decentralising tourism development through a joint venture of Kerala Tourism and the Local Self-Government Department, would ensure a tourist-friendly environment in villages, apart from generally contributing to the overall development of the village.

The Minister said the Government would develop 140 tourist-friendly villages in the State this year, ensuring that the villages were garbage-free through proper waste disposal systems. The Government will provide financial support up to 50 per cent of the cost of the project, subject to a maximum of Rs 10 lakh.

`RESPONSIBLE TOURISM'

Additionally, in the context of the ongoing clean-up of encroachments in tourist destinations like Munnar and Kovalam, the Minister also said that a `Responsible Tourism' policy would soon be announced to check the plundering of natural resources under the garb of creating facilities for tourists. The emphasis in the new policy would be to protect the environment, natural resources and heritage in tourist destinations.

This is in keeping with emerging trends worldwide. Tourism is the world's fastest growing industry, accounting for around 10 per cent of the world's gross domestic product, and providing up to 10 per cent of the world's total employment. In 2005, there were 808 million international tourism arrivals, a figure that the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) expects to reach one billion by 2010.

And more and more of these travellers will opt to travel responsibly. In 2002, 280 representatives from all sectors of tourism from 20 countries attended the Cape Town Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations preceding the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.

They agreed in a declaration that `responsible tourism':

Minimises negative economic, environmental and social impacts;

Generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities;

Improves working conditions and access to the industry;

Involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances;

Makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage embracing diversity;

And is culturally sensitive, encourages respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

Now plans for a World Responsible Tourism Day are beginning to take shape, supported by the World Travel Market (WTM) and the UNWTO. The first WTM World Responsible Tourism Day will be celebrated on Wednesday 14 November 2007.

Kerala's tourism trajectory thus appears to be in line with global tendencies in the travel and hospitality industry. Future travellers to the State - already a respected and famed destination - will be encouraged to be responsible tourists.

That means that they will, among other things, engage in local culture, by eating local foods, shopping in local markets, and attending local festivals; buy local products and services to support locally owned businesses, community tour operators, and artisans; hire local guides; tread lightly, following designated trails, respecting caretakers, and not removing archaeological or biological treasures from sites; and respect the natural environment through the practice of the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

In the process, Kerala's economy - in particular its rural sector - is likely to benefit in several ways, and the State's socio-economic development profile will also get substantially enhanced.

The writer can be contacted at kgkumar@gmail.com

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