Kerala - Kochi   

‘Responsible Tourism can check globalisation’

KOCHI: The concept of Responsible Tourism, which is being pushed forward across the world to maximise the positive aspects and minimise the negative impacts of the tourism industry, should be used as a tool to check globalisation, says C. Ravindranath, MLA.

Speaking on ‘Responsible Tourism in the Era of Globalisation’ on the third day of the Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations here, Mr. Ravindranath said globalisation was not a natural phenomenon or part of a revolution, but an economic activity of imperialism. According to him, nature and food habits cannot be globalised, but speculation could be globalised. As Responsible Tourism was not responsible to market, money or speculation, it could resist the evils of globalisation, he added.

V. Venu, Kerala Tourism Secretary and co-chair of the conference, presenting a paper on ‘Responsible Tourism Initiative in Kerala – A Work in Progress,’ said the RT initiative kicked off in Kerala could establish systems in place at the State-level and at destinations such as Kovalam, Kumarakom, Thekkady and Wayanad. The initiative sought to build sustainable and productive links between the tourism business and the local community, apart from providing a framework for implementing more responsible practices by all players involved in tourism.

Mr. Venu said the tourism sector had achieved rapid growth in the last 15 years and majority of businesses were locally owned, with only 10 hotels in the State having above 100 rooms. The government and the stake-holders in the industry were aware of the negative impacts and the government was committed to implementing the RT agenda and ensuring a multi-stake-holder approach.

The Secretary said 18 hotels in Kumarakom had already signed agreements for steady supply of local produce.

The first harvest had started and the supplies had commenced. In Kovalam, the structures were already in place. There were a few ups and downs in other destinations, such as Thekkady and Wayanad.

C. Jayakumar of Thanal, which spearheaded the Zero Waste Project in Kovalam, said the three principles of Zero Waste – ethics, efficiency and economics – were new to Kerala in managing waste. The community-triggered project had put Kovalam on the global environmental map. He noted that the concept of Zero Waste was a pre-requisite in implementing Responsible Tourism.

Padma Mohanty, Deputy Director, Periyar Tiger Reserve (East Division), presenting a paper on ‘Community-based Protection-oriented Ecotourism – Periyar Experience,’ said participatory tourism was a tool for park protection, interpretation of the values of the park, capacity building of the local community and as an instrument of change.

Sarada Muralidharan, Executive Director, Kudumbashree, presenting a paper on ‘Responsible Tourism and Community Enterprise – Convergence for Local Governance,’ said the focus on capacity building of the poor as producer had been a unique challenge that the programme was able to successfully incorporate.

Tracing the initiative taken at the four destinations identified for implementing RT, Ms. Sarada said 748 women in Kumarakom had been brought into the production loop already, indicating the enormous capability of the programme to spur local economic activity.

Kampa Borgoyari, deputy chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council, Assam, in his presentation on ‘Paradise Protected: A Community Participation Model,’ said 1,000 volunteers were working without remuneration to protect and conserve the forest.

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