Dears,
The first International Seminar on NATURAL AREA TOURISM: IMPACTS, PLANNING
AND MANAGEMENT organised by the School of Business Studies & Management of ST.
XAVIER'S COLLEGE, Mapusa-Goa, got underway at the International Centre-Goa,
Dona Paula. It will conclude on Friday, 15 February, 2008.
The State Department of Tourism and the Travel & Tourism Association of Goa,
besides some players in the hospitality trade have invested time and money in
this Seminar. Tourism Minister, Miccky Pacheco, and TTAG President, Ralph de
Souza graced the inaugural and spoke in support.
Mr. Syed Liyakat of the Bangalore based Tourism NGO named "EQUATIONS" set the
tone of the deliberations by defining NATURE TOURISM and its sub-groups like
EcoTourism, Wildlife Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Community-based
tourism,Disaster Area Tourism, etc, each one with its own USP [ Unique Selling
Point]. He explained how regions not protected as ESA [Ecologically Sensitive
Areas e.g. Mahableshwar and Matheran in Maharashtra] or Wild Life Protection
Act [Wild Life Sanctuaries and Parks] or Forest Conservation Act [Reserved
Forests, etc] were vulnerable to severe degradation. It is time to raise the
"Red Flag" of warning in some areas of the Western Ghats and the coast already,
he said. Tourism is a political statment he said and the rights of the local
communities must come first, if tourism is to be sustainable. The disappearance
of the Tigers from the Sariska Tiger Sanctuary after the displacement of the
local tribes was a glaring example of unsustainable policies, he
reminded.
Relevant to Goa, was his example of what happened to Ooty [Udhagamandalam or
Ootacamund], Kodi [Kodaikanal], Kulu and Manali .. where over "development"
[read unplanned concrete constructions everywhere] led to transport, parking
and garbage/sewage management woes ... that are now facing a decline in tourist
arrivals. Tourist want convenience, not crowds, traffic jams and filth.
He had some simple solutions from his 8 years experience with the issues:
1. Frame Tourism Policy, Rules and Regualtions.
2. Invest in "capacity building" in local communities to equip them with
skills and institutions to gain from the tourist business in their area.
3. Train Human Resource to service the tourist ... multi-lingual Guides, and
personnel for hospitality, travel, events, etc.
4.Monitor and do adaptive management for course correction where needed.
5. Frame a Code of Conduct for all players in tourism and allied trades.
6. Decentralise management of tourism industry.
7.Local ownership and benefit sharing.
8.Participatory decision making using all stakeholders in the business.
9.Public accountability of all stakeholders and decision makers
10. Prevent commodification of local culture by altering rituals, dances and
events to suit "prime time" requirements of tourist trade.
[One can learn more about EQUATIONS at www.equitabletourism.org ]
Prof. Sandeep Kulshreshta, Ph.D [Macau] and a certified ADB trainer from the
Govt. of India Ministry of Tourism's Gwalior [MP] based Indian Institute of
Tourism & Travel Management [ www.iittm.org ] stated quite matter of factly
that Natural Tourism cannot survive isolated from the man-made trourism. It
needs to synergise to grow. the final parameter of how much of tourist flow
depends on the "carrying capacity" of the place, which is often severely tested
in the haste to make a quick buck.
The Demand side [the Tourist] was interested in the three A's ..
Attraction, Acceptability and Amenities
of the tourist spot, which to them is a purchasable PRODUCT.
The supply side [the locals ] was interested in the three P's ..
Preservation, Protection, Promotion
of the local heritage, structures and culture which to them is a desirable
RESOURCE.
IT IS FOR THE TOURISM TRADE TO DO A DESIRABLE TRADE-OFF BETWEEN THE TWO: THE
A'S AND THE P'S.
The Seminar continues on 15 February with a presentation at 09.30 A.M. on
AGRO-TOURISM by Dr.V.S. Korikanthimath, the dynamic Director of ICAR-Goa who
had successfully organised a National Seminar on Agro-Eco Tourism in 2005 at
Old Goa.
Presentation of a set of researched works on Alternative Tourism by Anita
Haladi, Spice Gardens by Hazel Collaco and separately by Vidya Dalvi, Rural
Tourism by G.B. Murgod, Coperatives by Santosh Patkar, Beach Tourism by
Cidallia Bodade, Monsoon Tourism by Poonam Sadekar and other presentations will
fill the day.
The abstracts are printed in a booklet.
For enquiries contact
Principal, St.Xaviers College <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
Mog asundi.
Miguel
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