Green Life India Solutions, Kochi© Presentation Conceived and Designed by Paul V Mathew, Mob: +91-9745482028.

Responsible TourismKerala Experiences

Together for All - Creating Better Society to Live Together and Stay Together

Livelihood

Skill

Knowled

ge

Degeneration of cultural heritage

and socia

l inequalities

Leakage of econo

mic

benefits to outside region

Increasing environmental impact

Inadequate local benefits

Unregulated development

Even when tourism brings large revenue into the state, the following issues are disturbing factors:

The realizations had opened

more schools of thought in the

sector which are more prone to:

community friendly, people

oriented, participatory

and sustainable with more

responsible approaches.

Though the concept of Responsible Tourism was there right from 1996, it was after the Capetown Declaration that a detailed picture evolved.

World Tourism Organisation, then formulated a global code of ethics, which stressed on the necessary changes to take place in the nature of tourism and its impacts on society.

Essence of these documents is that since tourism is temporary visit to a local community, greater attention is to be paid to ensure that it poses no threat to the local community.

Moving towards Responsible Tourism

What benefits do the local community receive when a tourist visits the place.

How does the tourism industry affects the environment of a particular region.

How tourism influences our culture and social relations

ECONOMIC

ENVIRONMENTAL

SOCIAL

The Triple Bottom Line of RT

Responsible Tourism through conferences

•Minimizes 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, to the maintenance of the world's diversity;•Provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues; and •Is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

Cape Town Declaration defined Responsible Tourism as having specific characteristics

•Education and learning •Campaigning and awareness raising•Media •Empowerment •Taking responsibility for sustainable local social and economic development •Governance •Multi-stakeholder processes •Partnerships •Community-based tourism •Markets •Disability and inclusion •Commercial sustainability•Environmental sustainability •Monitoring, measurement and reporting•Awards

The 2nd International Conference came up with broad recommendations for actions in the specific areas

Cape Town

Declaration

Kerala Declarat

ion

Key Players at Tourism Destination

Community Industry

Place

Socia

lEnvironm

ental

Economic

Destination

Characteristics of Key Players

Place• Natural/Built

Heritage• Geographical

features • Environment

features• Biodiversities

Industry• Destination

Promotion & Marketing

• Hospitality services• Travel Tourism

Services• Entertainments • Events

Community• Host Lifestyle• Art & Culture• Ethnicity• Traditions

Kerala - The God’s Own Country

Implementing RT in Kerala

1st Step

First Attempt of its kind in India:

State Level Consultation Workshop on RT Concept and Implementation Framework

February 2007 at Kanakakkunnu Palace, Thiruvananthapuram

Kovalam

Beach

Kumarakom

Backwaters

RT - Pilot Destinations

Current Context Expected Output

Industry – Community Conflict

Industry – Community Cordial

No Community Involvement in Tourism

Active Community Involvement in Tourism

Development

No economic benefit for Local community

Generates economic benefit for Local community

High Negative Impacts towards Local life and

Culture

Minimised Negative impacts towards Host life and Culture

Positive impacts unreached Enhanced Positive Impacts

Non-Participatory planning and implementation

Participatory planning and implementation

Lack of Systematic Destination Planning

Systematic & Comprehensive Destination Planning

Unscientific practices damage environment

Scientific practices to preserve environment and

biodiversities

Economic

Socio-cultural

Environmental

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

State Level RT Committee (SLRTC)

Executive Committee

Destination Level RT Committees (DLRTCs) Executive Committee

Kovalam Kumarakom Thekkady Wayanad

ECO

SOC

ENV

ECO

SOC

ENV

ECO

SOC

ENV

ECO

SOC

ENV

Economic

Working Group

Social Working Group

Envrmnt Working

Group

RT Organizational Structure - Kerala

Evolving a PPP Model

• Policy Initiatives and support at all levels• Liaison for the RT initiatives among partners and

stakeholders

Dept. of Tourism/DTPC

• Lead role in field programme and Facilitate programme coordination at grass roots

• Provide financial and institutional support through plan schemes or linking to other sources

Local Bodies• Purchase and promote local goods and services • Integrate community activities and attractions to tour

packages• Provide platform for healthy linkages to benefit local

community• Adopt and promote healthy environment practices

Industry• Active partner to coordinate production, procurement and

supply of local goods• Build capacity of micro enterprises towards product

development/ diversification and value additionKudumbasree

• Preserve local culture, values and nature • Enhance production of local goods and services• Orient towards tourism friendly attitudes and practices• Achieve capability to cater to the industry requirements

Local Community

Facilitation

GITPAC Intl. is the Tourism Planning and Consultancy Division of Air Travel Enterprises

Positioning

RT Technical Support Unit

Dept. of Tourism has selected and positioned Great India Tourism Planners and Consultants International (GITPAC Intl. ) for the management and coordination of

RT Initiatives Kerala Phase 1

G I T P A C I n t l . T o u r i s m P l a n n i n g & C o n s u l t a n c y D i v i s i o n o f A T E G r o u p o f C o m p a n i e s

Bench Mark Areas - Kerala

Economic

Reasonable business practices

Support to small, medium farmers/

producers and micro enterprises

Develop quality products that reflect,

complement, and enhance the destination

Foster the development of

community-based tourism products

Creation of value addition for local expertise and raw

materials

Platform for livelihood activities

/employment for the local people in the

industry

Market tourism in ways which reflect

the natural, cultural and social integrity of

the destination

Promote those forms of tourism where the product itself focuses on a local experience

Social Marketing

Management of Tourism related

Social issues

Safety Management

Visitors Management

Local Resource management

Souvenir Local art and culture

Ethnic food

Health Management

Local Infrastructure

capacity building

Role of Media

Local Community

sharing

Information of the destination

Character of destination

Social

Waste management • Solid • Liquid

Pollution prevention

Energy management • Conservation

measures• Renewable resources • Sensitizing guests

Land use management

Water management • Usage/Consumption• Conservation

Environmental conservation/ management

Conservation of Biodiversity Transportation Environmental

Education Initiatives

Environment friendly Purchase

Policy

Environment

G I T P A C I n t l . T o u r i s m P l a n n i n g & C o n s u l t a n c y D i v i s i o n o f A T E G r o u p o f C o m p a n i e s

Kerala Initiatives – Steps for field interventions

Partners

• Convene State/Destination Level RT Committee and its functions

• Policy Initiatives and support at all levels• Liaison for the RT initiatives among partners and stakeholders

Dept. of Tourism/DTPC

• Lead role in field programme and Facilitate departmental/ organizational coordination at local level

• Provide financial and institutional support through plan schemes or linking to other sources

Local Bodies• Purchase and promote local goods and services • Integrate community activities and attractions to tour

packages• Provide platform for healthy linkages to benefit local

community• Adopt and promote healthy environment practices

Industry• Active partner to link the community with industry

coordinating production, procurement and supply of local goods

• Build capacity of micro enterprises towards product development/ diversification and value addition

Kudumbasree

• Preserve local culture, values and nature • Enhance production of local goods and services• Orient towards tourism friendly attitudes and practices• Achieve capability to cater to the industry requirements

Local Community

• Hold destination level meetings at selected destinations of tourism industry, local self government, Kudumbasree, other related government agencies, NGOs and local community representatives and identify agreed industrial partners.

Step 1:

• Constitute Destination Level RT Committees (DLRTC) after the destination level meeting. Step 2:

• To conduct industry surveys and survey of local resources (Demand Vs Supply)Step 3:

• Sign agreements with hoteliers for local procurementStep 4:

Proposed Steps for Implementation after 1st SLRTC (20th April 2007)

There will be a regular demand from the hotels for the identified items.

Hotels are willing to purchase vegetables, milk, fruits, eggs and meat from local.

Specific arrangements have to be made for regular supply of quality items.

There is demand for organic products.

Proposed Steps for Implementation after 2nd SLRTC 10th August 2007

Demand Side

Supply Side

Kudumbashree has come up with supply plan at destinations

Case Study: Kumarakom

Kumarakom

Kumarakom

Kumarakom

24.13 sq. km.

Vembanad Lake

15.04 sq. km. Land 1

12.50 sq. km.

Paddy fields

Total Area:51.67 sq. km.

Destination Features

Bird sanctuary home to 91 species of local

and 50 species of migratory birds

Only breeding area of Night Herons in 1970s & early 80s

A number of mangrove species, of which three are reported only from

Kumarakom

The feeding and breeding grounds for numerous species of

fishes

Ecological Specialities/ Importance

Started with the lease of KTDC land in the bird sanctuary area to Taj

Kerala Resorts Limited in the 1989

Flourished after the visit of former Prime

Minister A B Vajpayee in 2000

Tourism Development

Tourism Infrastructure & Employment

Type Beds Employment

Direct Indirect

Big Heritage Resorts (8) 580 740 324

Medium Type Hotels (7) 94 44 20

Lodges, Guest houses, home stays (21)

106rooms

- -

Recreation Clubs (3) - 12 3

Micro enterprises – boats, parlours, taxi, etc.

- 170 0

Although the conversion of land reduced the agricultural yield and employment, the temporary employment in the construction sector and relatively higher wages earned, made the local workers happy

80% of the regular employees in big hotels appointed from outside Kumarakom

Most of the local labourers lost their traditional occupation and those displaced from the lands converted for tourism could not be compensated with alternative jobs

Clustering of the resorts blocked access of Local people to Lake who depended it for household activities, fishing and shell collection

Well received by the local people initially with the

land value increasing many

folds

Impact due to Tourism Development

Efforts in Field to Cater Industry Demands

Response from Industry

Initially the Industry response was not productive and supporting

Only 3 hotels were agreed to purchase minimum produces

Doubt on range of produces and price

Doubt on quality

Doubt on Consistent supply

Doubt on meeting daily requirements

Issue on terminating regular retail suppliers

Issue on packaging/ branding/ tax

After One Year

Stabilized Production Units

Efforts to meet the gap areas in demand – supply

Enhanced one to one with hoteliers

Strengthened Community rapport

Industry purchase still in Minimum quantity

15 hoteliers signed partnership agreement

But active partnership only from 8 to 10

Total revenue generated: 12 lakhs

20 Kudumbashree cultivation groups (250 women)

10 Farmers’ collective (450 men)

510 Homestead farming units

20 Micro Enterprises

Samrudhi RT Shop

In this era of globalization knowledge is too near to inquisitive minds that makes all the far very near. To cop up with the emerging challenges, people strive to unravel and groom their latent talents. Amid competition and rapid changes, the real bottom of the pyramid becomes marginalized. In this juncture, a luminous vision and a leading mission can make a giant leap. Now Green Life India Solutions takes the notion of inclusive and sustainable development. Let’s strive together for a better tomorrow. Faster, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth should me our motto in the endeavor.

Thank You

Extending Support

• Resource Mapping Tools• Empanelling Resource Persons• Preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR)• Local Sensitization Programs• Resource Mobilization and Ancillary Supports• Training and Development Projects• Gap Assessment and Need Analysis Study• Advising Infrastructure Solutions• Green Projects Consultancy • Course and Curriculum Design

Green Life India Solutions Kochi, 682311Mob: +91 – 9745482028

paulvmathew.hr@gmail.com