Tag Archives: Responsible Tourism’

Curtain Raiser Event for ATOAI’s 16th Annual Convention Concludes Successfully Co Hosted by the Department of Tourism Govt of Arunachal Pradesh. The Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) hosted an inspiring Curtain Raiser for its 16th Annual Convention at The Park Hotel, New Delhi, setting the stage for an extraordinary event scheduled to take place in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, from 3 to 8 December, 2024. This evening’s event highlighted Arunachal Pradesh’s vast potential as a global adventure tourism hub while emphasising ATOAI’s commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism practices. The event began with an engaging address by Ajeet Bajaj, President, ATOAI, who emphasised the transformative potential of sustainable adventure tourism. “Arunachal Pradesh is India’s Last Shangri-La and our next big adventure destination. This convention will set the stage for responsible adventure tourism and showcase how sustainability is the future of our industry. This convention promises to be a milestone event, further positioning Arunachal Pradesh and North East India at the forefront of adventure tourism in India and the world,” he remarked. This sentiment was echoed by Oken Tayeng, MLA and Convention Chairperson, who called Arunachal “a playground of possibilities” and underlined the need for a sustainable roadmap to unlock its adventure tourism potential. Adding to the evening’s momentum, Arun Srivastava, Joint Director General, Ministry of Tourism, highlighted the importance of collaboration in developing adventure tourism in India. He noted, “India’s natural assets make it a top contender for global adventure tourism and Arunachal is a shining gem of the country.” Ranphoa Ngowa, Secretary of Tourism, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, further emphasised the state’s readiness to host global adventure seekers, pointing out its unique combination of untouched rivers, dense forests …

The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Mumbai, the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Mumbai, and the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) successfully hosted a remarkable event titled “Promoting Peace Through Tourism with Thailand and IIPT” on World Peace Day at IFBE, Mumbai. The event, held in celebration of the United Nations International Day of Peace, highlighted the critical role tourism can play in fostering global peace and understanding. The event brought together a diverse group of guests, including the Consul Generals of various countries, distinguished dignitaries, travel agents, airline managers, influencers, hotel managers, and other key players from the tourism industry. The gathering started with a seminar by distinguished speakers to raise awareness about the potential of every tourist to act as an ambassador of peace, promoting harmony among people of different cultures, races, and religions. Ajay Prakash who assumed global Presidency of IIPT in September 2023 spoke eloquently on the power of Tourism to connect people across all boundaries of race, religion or nationality and urged the travel industry to join hands to realise this higher paradigm of Tourism by encouraging all travellers to travel with an open mind and a gentle heart, with respect for their hosts, embracing the diversity they encounter, and encouraged them to adopt and propagate the IIPT Credo of the Peaceful Traveller. Attendees also participated in a range of activities including the “Peaceful Voices” and “Peaceful Messages” campaigns, where guests shared their thoughts on how tourism can inspire understanding and unity across borders. The event also underscored the importance of responsible tourism, encouraging participants to embrace sustainable and green travel practices that help preserve the environment. One of the most exciting aspects of …

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) successfully concluded its 47th annual PATA Travel Mart (PTM) in Bangkok, Thailand. Held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), the event served as a crucial platform for high-caliber buyers and sellers from across the Asia Pacific region and beyond.   Key Insights Over 900 delegates participated, including 266 exhibitors and 191 buyers representing 45 destinations and 31 source markets. The event emphasised sustainable tourism development, innovative marketing strategies, and strategic partnerships within the Asia Pacific tourism industry. PTM 2024 reaffirmed Thailand’s position as a leading MICE destination and travel hub. The PATA Knowledge Forum offered valuable insights on navigating the evolving tourism landscape, covering topics like responsible tourism, digital transformation, and emerging consumer trends. A new initiative, the PATA Youth Symposium and Career Fair, connected aspiring tourism professionals with industry leaders. The PATA Gold Awards recognised excellence in destination marketing, sustainable tourism practices, and innovative tourism products. What This Means for You? PTM 2024 underscores the resurgence of Asia Pacific tourism and the growing demand for authentic travel experiences. The event provided a platform for building valuable business connections and exploring new market opportunities. Insights from the Knowledge Forum can help you adapt and thrive in the changing tourism landscape by implementing sustainable practices, leveraging digital technology, and understanding consumer preferences. New talent entering the industry offers a positive outlook for the future of tourism in the region.

Euromonitor International Voice of the Consumer and Lifestyle Survey 2024 has unveiled a notable decline in consumer interest and engagement in sustainable initiatives. With this shift, the onus falls on governments, key stakeholders and destinations to address this shift in consumer behaviour and drive meaningful changes to promote responsible tourism.

Manisha Saxena, DG Tourism, GOI stressed on how MOT is going to focus develop responsible infra and promote sustainable practices in tourism sector. She expressed concern and said, “Tourism industry should minimize its impact on environment and community.

Meenakshi Sharma, DG, Ministry of Tourism, has said that they are in the process of making some changes in the new tourism policy, making responsible tourism as its foundation. She added that responsible tourism cannot be discussed as a separate entity; it should be a part of everything we do going forward. “We will add more elements to responsible tourism as we move forward. One will be health and hygiene. It’s also about developing new practices and behaviour of the tourist as a responsible visitor. It cannot be the responsibility of only the service provider, but also the one receiving the services. Honestly, we had not put our minds into this aspect as much as we should have earlier. It will be our priority now,” she said.

As part of implementing responsible tourism initiatives in the state, the Kerala Tourism department organised a workshop in Thiruvananthapuram.  P. Bala Kiran, IAS, Director, Kerala Tourism and Managing Director of Kannur International Airport elaborated on the new Tourism Policy, Responsible Tourism and the Green Carpet Action Plan formulated by the government at the workshop. He said, “The Tourism policy 2017 implementation will commence with the implementation of Green Carpet action plan 2017-18. Also, the tourism department shall implement Green Protocol in all 78 locations by Dec 15th.” Speaking on the Green Carpet Action Plan, P. Bala Kiran said that the action plan has been formulated by including nine agendas by inculcating the points from the total 16 agendas that is being discussed and deliberated upon worldwide. The Green Carpet Action Plan, in fact, aims at transforming the tourism sector in Kerala into different travel-friendly destinations. The plan is being implemented by imbibing the points in the new tourism policy. The general development aspects that have been put forward by the Tourism policy, the Green Kerala Mission and Responsible Tourism are being implemented in this regard, he said. Pointing out that Responsible Tourism forms the crux of the state government’s tourism policy. The features incorporated are People-friendliness, Nature-friendliness and aspects that remain socially acceptable. The projects and schemes undertaken toe a well charted out roadmap.

Kerala’s award-winning ‘Responsible Tourism’ (RT) initiatives has come in for further recognition with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) describing them as a model for other destinations to replicate. The world’s foremost international tourism organisation also called for the development of closer ties between Kerala Tourism and UNWTO, emphasising the importance of further association to help take the message of sustainable tourism forward. In a recent meeting held at UNWTO headquarters in Madrid, Kerala Tourism Director, U.V. Jose presented a report on the RT campaigns – the heart of Kerala’s tourism story for nearly a decade – to Xu Jing, UNWTO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. The report contained details of the RT policies and practices implemented in the state and the campaign’s success in giving stakeholdership to local communities and empowering them economically through activities that prioritise cultural and ecological conservation.