The Hindu Business Line : Some jarring notes on tourism front

In recent days, a slew of unfortunate events has taken the sheen off the crown that Kerala, as “God’s Own Country”, has been proudly wearing for quite some time now. Consider these happenings: A Swedish teenager was sexually abused during the New Year celebrations at Fort Kochi.

Two Canadian girls, one aged 12 and the other 14, were allegedly molested by a private security guard in a tourist haven at Kumarakom in the backwaters of Kottayam.

A 52-year-old German woman claims she has been duped of Rs 35 lakh by her Keralite friend and business associate in a deal related to starting a restaurant near the Kovalam beach in Thiruvananthapuram.

Also peripherally related is the news about the recent arrest of an alleged Hizbul Mujaheedin activist who was working as a salesman in a handicrafts showroom in Idukki district. This has, in one fell swoop, brought all Kashmiri traders in Kerala under the scanner. And remember, most Kashmiri traders in Kerala have been in the handicraft business for decades, plying their trade in the State’s tourism centres.

All told, this is not the sort of news that will attract travellers to what National Geographic Traveler magazine described as one of the world’s 50 must-see destinations that ought to be visited in a lifetime. Yet, as any alert independent traveller will assert, these are only aberrations in what is arguably a unique travel experience through a tranquil and serene State. Most of the time, visitors to Kerala – both from within India and overseas – report an enjoyable stay and praise the hospitality and friendliness of the local population.

Having said that, however, and especially in the context of the growth in homestays in the State, it is certainly imperative that such incidents are not brushed off or ignored, particularly by the government.

It is equally important that the general public be made more aware of the potential of tourism in Kerala and the need for a sensitive approach to foreigners.

All this is made even more relevant on the eve of the Incredible India Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations, being organised by Kerala Tourism and the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (India), with India Tourism as partner, to be held at the Le Meridien hotel in Kochi from March 21. The International Centre for Responsible Tourism is a post-graduate training and research centre based at the Leeds Metropolitan University.

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:

(i) minimises negative economic, environmental and social impacts

(ii) generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well being of host communities; improves working conditions and access to the industry

(iii) involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances

(iv) makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage embracing diversity

(v) provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues

(vi) provides access for physically challenged people

(vii) is culturally sensitive, encourages respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) stresses that responsible tourism is “an important consumer and corporate component of triple bottom-line sustainability – economic, social and environmental.”

Just as Kerala must hope that more and more responsible tourists will visit the States in the coming years, Keralites too must learn to be equally responsible by practising the principles listed in the Cape Town declaration.

The writer can be contacted at kgkumar@gmail.com

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