An Outlook Towards Responsible Tourism...

What?

#ResponsibleTourism Conclave by Outlook Traveller.

When?

Wednesday, December 9.

Where?

ITC Maurya, New Delhi.

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When I stepped out of the house, I didn’t realize it would be so enlightening and thoughtful. I was delighted that so many vexing activities that I used to observe other travelers doing, during my vacations to various destinations, are now the point of discussion for the whole world. There are initiatives like responsible traveling, green traveling, and sustainable traveling, and so on. People are now thinking about wastage of natural resources, and its overconsumption.

The event was themed around Responsible Tourism organized by the reputed Outlook Traveller magazine. There were speakers from pan-India and all across the globe. We had esteemed speakers from various parts of India. The keynote was presented by Indranil Roy, President, and Publisher, Outlook Group. The Guest of Honor was Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The enlightening opening address was by Harold Goodwin, Professor of Responsible Tourism, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Director, International Center for Responsible Tourism. It was good to notice that the alertness around being sane and acting responsibly as an informed traveler and tourist is rising at a good pace. The pressure is on all stakeholders connected with Tourism. It does not matter whether you are on this side or that side. Everyone now has to be aware of the condemnable actions against nature, its risks, and its intricacies.

There were a lot of learning points during all the sessions. The first session had a good amount of brainstorming on Responsible Tourism associated with it. There was a session on luxury tourism, focussed around - Can luxury be responsible? There were great insights on the topic from Nakul Anand, Executive Director, ITC. We learned that there are a lot of green and responsible tourism related stands being taken by ITC on the global front. Another good point of learning was that the value and commodity basket of luxury changes with the time. What was luxury yesterday is a necessity today in tourism.

Communication is the main key for responsible tourism. There are certainly good things happening in a scattered way that need to be consolidated and all energies should flow in a unilateral manner. Once all energies being implied in this direction across the globe get synchronized, the adoption and learning will be faster and at a wider scale. Then people will not look at each other to become a responsible tourist or a responsible tourism deploying agency on the other side. Whatever is the case and whichever side you are standing, the message has to be absorbed so well that the action points start flowing in everyone’s blood.

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I am blogging for #ResponsibleTourism activity by Outlook Traveller in association with BlogAdda. 

#ResponsibleTourism Requires Introspection...

Is increasing tourism a threat to nature and to our ecosystem? Does it impact the lives of various fauna and their valuable habitats when we visit them? Are we the sole cause to the wastage of water, energy and precious natural resources when we visit any new place? 

These are some questions, the answers to which are more questions. However, the second set of interrogative statements is more introspective in nature. Do you not feel like questioning your actions whenever your conscience does not approve of them? 

I believe each soul is a traveller. A traveller must also ensure that they abide by #ResponsibleTourism for all times when they are travelling and to familiarise other travellers visiting their city, state, or country. Just ask yourself the following questions and look within, for honest answers. 

As a tourist what are the disciplines I need to follow? Do I need to look around for others to guide me for maintenance and sustenance of Mother Nature? Do I not know from the core of my heart what is good and what is bad? Am I, unknowingly being the cause for the destruction of nature?

 

There are many pointers that we can divert our attention to while travelling, staying at, and enjoying the beauty of classic, unique or offbeat destinations. It is for sure that must not be aware of everything about the said destination. 

But still, there are some basic guidelines that we can adhere to, to exude a certain positivism and responsibility about being a traveller. Simple acts can help become a responsible traveller.Try to understand the impacting factors of locale. 

Some universal factors need to be adhered to like: 

1. Shun smoking or indulgence in alcoholism.
2. Don’t use wood for bonfires at hilly and remote locations.
3. Don’t litter/throw garbage/plastic/food leftovers and other such items 
4. Limit the use of power to as little as you can.
5. Don’t waste water.
6. Buy from locals, made by locals.
7. Engage yourself in the activities of local communities – their festivals, their rituals, their joys and happiness.
8. Don’t poke your nose into the mannerisms of fauna. Let them stay and live their own life in jungles. If you don’t like their interference in your life, what right have you, to interfere in their lives?
9. Buy/eat organic food.
10. Don’t demand plastic bags while making your purchases.
11. Use electrical gadgets to the least extent hence reducing power consumption.
12. Don’t offer food to animals in the jungle/sea/lake/river. They have their own ecosystem and food chains designed by nature.
13. Don’t make noise in jungles. Imagine a pride of lions roaring around you while you and your family are asleep? Weird, right? Your loud music or shouts might disturb them as well.
14. Buy gifts/products for your friends and family members crafted by local communities.
15. Think of giving something good in return at a place where you are vacating, touring, visiting or staying.  If you love to enjoy, create an enjoyable atmosphere for the local communities too, by the  give and take of perspectives and ideologies.

Responsibility comes from within. We don’t need someone else to teach us how to become a responsible tourist. Let us set an example for others rather than becoming a bad example to be ill-mouthed by others who care for nature and natural habitats. 

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I am blogging for #ResponsibleTourism activity by Outlook Traveller in association with BlogAdda.