About Responsible Tourism:Responsible Tourism (RT) comes from all travellers being responsible. It means behaving with responsibility towards the place you are a tourist in. This includes caring about the environment, the people and the economy of the place you are visiting.
RT began with the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in 2002. The delegates from twenty countries around the world included people from all spheres related directly or indirectly to the tourism industry, right from tour operators, airlines, and hotel groups to national parks, government and conservation authorities. They called upon all involved to develop guidelines to ensure the social, economic, and environmental protection of places where tourists visit.
Purpose of Responsible Tourism:Responsible tourism means the place and its people should benefit from your visit. In developing countries, particularly where tourism boosts the economy, countries may make economic decisions at the cost of sustainable solutions. For example, large areas of land may be converted into hotels, resorts, golf courses, etc. to attract tourists, with no attention paid to the livelihoods of the locals; no thought given to the air, water and noise pollution in these areas; and no respect for the impact on local society or indigenous plants and animals in the area. So while the tourism industry may benefit in the short term, in the long run other problems are created by such unchecked tourism.
Wherever such unsustainable practices are being adopted, tourists will be the first to notice and recognise that sustainable tourism is not being practiced and it has an adverse effect on the tourist destination. Responsible tourism means tourists should make responsible choices about where, when and how they visit and explore a new location.
Your Contribution towards Responsible Tourism:As a responsible traveller you should ask yourself: “What do I know about the place I am visiting? Does the money I spend benefit the locals, and how are my choices affecting the environment?”
Some of the choices you can make are: Visit a wildlife sanctuary rather than a zoo, buy local products directly from the producers at markets and fairs, visit restaurants that sell locally grown fruits and vegetables, support fisher-folk and farmers in the towns and villages you visit, avoid the use of plastic, and save water and electricity whenever possible.
Responsible Tourism in India:In India many groups have chosen to play a part in helping others to practice responsible tourism.
- Devil on Wheels is an organisation covering 17 villages in the Himalayas. It was set up to help the local community that earns its living from tourism. Devil on Wheels connects local guides directly to travellers so the guides are not exploited by the middlemen. They also help tourists contribute to the villages with medicines and education kits that locals may need.
- The Salaam Baalak Trust together with Greaves India organises walking tours to draw attention to lives of street children in India. The tours are conducted in English by teenagers who used to live on streets themselves before joining the Trust. All the proceeds from the walk go towards helping street children.
- Kerala is the one state that is that leading the way in setting up of RT destinations. Some of these destinations are Kumarakom, Wayanad, and Kovalam. Each of these locations showcase what is known as the ‘Village Life Experience’. For example, in Kumarakom you can take a ride in a country boat, watch the toddy tappers at work, or go bow-and-arrow fishing. You will see how coconut tree leaves are used to thatch roofs and make brooms, the shell are made into card and soap holders, and actual coconut turned into oil. There are a number of RT certified hotels in Kumarakom, too.
Responsible Tourism Awards:More focus is being laid on responsible tourism through incentives and awards for outstanding achievers.
Recently, the Farm of Happiness in Maharashtra won the gold medal by Outlook India for being the best ‘responsible tourism property,’ while Dewalokam in Kerala and Atali Ganga in Uttarakhand bagged the runner-up prizes. These three properties are leading the pack in small, significant ways, be it through introducing the concept of natural faming and conscious eating, use of sustainable practices, gender-balance among employees, minimal water consumption, waste management and more.
Significant contributions to wildlife conservation has been made by the states of Jammu & Kashmir and Tamil Nadu who protect Snow Leopards and Crocodiles, respectively. The Snow Leopard Conservancy protects the leopard, a globally endangered species through a Himalayan Homestay which creates employment opportunities for local people. It offsets loses of livestock and reduces wildlife-human conflict. The trust also serves traditionally Ladakhi food and houses guests in traditional rooms rather than modern ones.
It doesn’t just stop with nature. Importance is also laid on the conservation of heritage and culture. Arco Iris, a 200+ year old colonial Portuguese manor in Goa has been hailed for restoring and preserving a charming heritage bungalow, while maintaining it as a home stay for tourists to the state.
Innovative tour operators like Grassroutes in Maharashtra aid travellers to experience rural India. Through their efforts, they aim to create 1 million livelihood opportunities in rural India, increase income and employment, prevent distress migration, revive local arts and crafts, and conserve biodiversity through eco-friendly tourism.
Another worthy awardee is Planet Abled from Delhi, an organization that provides accessible travel solutions and leisure activities to people who are differently abled.
For those who love travel, a few conscious decisions to support organizations like these as well as the local economy in general, will ensure that the beauty of a place and the livelihood of its people are enhanced for our next visit there, and for others, too.
Visit the RT locations mentioned and contribute in your own way wherever you travel. Plan your next trip now! You can book your flights, hotel or rent a car with Skyscanner today. Alternatively, book online or by using our mobile apps
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