[Reader-list] [GreenYouth] Kerala - Convention on Irresponsible Tourism in Kerala

Sun Mar 23 11:41:09 IST 2008

Dear Deepak,

The problem with a lot of academic conferences is the fact that they
are disconnected from a lot of local non-academic stakeholders who
have some extremely real 'non-academic' concerns that require
representation but are not provided representation for a number of
reasons. Language, niche (but highly valid concerns), inability to pay
registration amounts, simply not being made informed about the
conference. the list is just beginning.

I agree with your point about the importance of money etc in
organizing a conference but what I need to know from anybody who knows
- "what arrangements are made for people who cannot pay that
registration amount - can there be scholarships provided?" It is a
very very very real concern that representation at conferences or
movements can eventually boil down to questions of who can really
afford to be present. Academic conferences anywhere - including the
kind of places that Wikipedia may talk about, all of them suffer from
the same concern - that academic conferences rarely provide a platform
for non-academic people to be present, even if the conference is more
about them than the academicians.

Hoping to hear more about BOTH the 'responsible Kerala tourism' conferences.

~ Gitika

On Tue, Mar 18, 2008 at 4:49 AM, deepak p <deepakp7 at gmail.com> wrote:
> i can hardly resist from replying to this email.. why do u guys luk upon
>  evrything in a negative way.. i am in no way related to the icrt
>  conference.. but believe that its a good initiative.. lets see what ur major
>  complaints are:
>
>  1. calling it incredible india conference on...
>
>  i dont think thats the name.. its the second edition of international conf
>  on responsible tourism.. http://www.responsibletourism2008.org/
>
>  2. holding it in a luxury hotel
>
>  where else can u hold conferences with such a lot of international
>  particiaption
>
>  3. registration fee is 5000..
>
>  this is a scholarly conference man.. and the conference holders are no
>  charity workers.. u have to invite international standard speakers, get the
>  arrangements done etc.. u need money.. i havent seen a scholarly conference
>  of good stature that can afford to charge less than some 150 USD or so..
>  this is no charity function.. luk up what scholarly conferences are and
>  understand that.. even conferences held in CUSAT have regn fees of 2k at
>  least..
>
>  4. kerala is not very responsible in its tourism initiatives..
>
>  okay, thats one probable reason as to why we have this conference at all,
>  rite?
>
>
>  if u dont understand what scholarly or academic conferences are.. check this
>  out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_conference
>
>  thanks
>  deepak
>
>  On Tue, Mar 18, 2008 at 8:39 AM, Anivar Aravind <anivar.aravind at gmail.com>
>  wrote:
>
>
>
>  >
>  > *Convention on Irresponsible Tourism in Kerala*
>  > ==============================================
>  > *Date: 22nd March 2008, 9.30 am*
>  > */Venue:/** Achuthamenon Hall, Near Public Library, Near Shenoy's Theatre*
>  > *Eranakulam.*
>  > -----------------------------------------------
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > Dear Friends,
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > For the past two decades, Department of Tourism and tourism industry in
>  > Kerala have been promoting Kerala tourism with various jargons such as
>  > "Eco-Tourism", "Sustainable Tourism", etc. There is no exception for
>  > "Responsible Tourism". The present 'mantra' of Kerala Tourism is being
>  > introduced in the state as a solution for 'everything'.
>  >
>  >
>  > But a closer look at the recent developments will give an insight into
>  > the present realities of Kerala Tourism. The "Responsible Tourism"
>  > initiative of Kerala Tourism is not participatory as they claim and
>  > keeping away local communities from the discussion. The current
>  > discussions are not addressing the concerns of affected population which
>  > needs urgent and immediate actions to stop the damages of tourism. At
>  > the same time, the present discussions initiated by Kerala Tourism are
>  > misleading the discussions and debates. They are aimed at marketing
>  > Kerala Tourism abroad without changing or addressing the fundamental
>  > issues here.
>  >
>  >
>  > Kerala Tourism and International Centre for Responsible Tourism – India
>  > (ICRT) in cooperation with 'Incredible India' are organizing "Incredible
>  > India Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism in
>  > Destinations". It is* *to be held from 21st – 24th* *March 2007 in
>  > Kochi, Kerala. This conference is advertised and propagated in a big
>  > manner both nationally and internationally.* *
>  >
>  > According to the organizers, the Conference will be a key global
>  > initiative to help the tourism industry and all its stakeholders to
>  > discuss and debate important developments in the field. The "efforts" of
>  > Kerala Tourism in this direction will also be explored at the
>  > conference. The conference will also "reflect on Kerala's experience of
>  > working towards being a Responsible Tourism destination and to share it
>  > internationally".
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > But there is a very evident contradiction in the way they are organizing
>  > the conference and its promises. The conference excludes very important
>  > stakeholders from the discussions. It is an event for elites held at a
>  > luxury hotel. The registration fee for the conference is a testimony for
>  > this. Even the reduced fee is equivalent to Indian Rupees 5,000, which
>  > is still beyond the reach of majority of local 'stakeholders'.
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > The programme schedule of the conference advertised "Mararikulam as an
>  > emerging beach destination". But the present reality in this area shows
>  > that the conference organizers underestimate the socio-cultural and
>  > economic impact of tourism on local communities. While they say
>  > "Mararikulam is about one local entrepreneur kick starting a
>  > destination. It is also about the emerging opportunities for the local
>  > community", the experience of the local community is quite different.
>  > Tourism in this area has caused a real estate boom and the local
>  > entrepreneur mentioned has set a trend which resulted in market induced
>  > displacement of fisher folk from the area.
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > There is no paradigm shift in the way Kerala is developing its tourism
>  > sector. The current discussions are just a hype to change the fading
>  > images of Kerala tourism and portray it as a responsible destination in
>  > the international market.
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > Neither the conference nor the "Responsible Tourism" initiative in the
>  > state addresses any of the serious problems of the so called "Kerala
>  > Model Tourism Development" in its agenda. At the same time, this ill
>  > affected model demonstrates how unregulated and weak policies have
>  > facilitated unsustainable tourism development in the state which
>  > alienated the local population especially the marginalized from their
>  > peaceful life and livelihood. Kerala Tourism is pretending that the
>  > initiative is partipatory but at the same time they are strategically
>  > excluding local communities from the conference and discussions to hide
>  > the fundamental issues raised by them from the international community.
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > This state of affairs convinced *Kerala Tourism Watch *to facilitate a
>  > convention against the malpractices of Kerala tourism and against
>  > proclaiming it as "Responsible Tourism. The Convention will take place
>  > on 22^nd March 2008 at Achuthamenon Hall (Near Public Library),
>  > Eranakulam where we will get to raise our voice and bring more attention
>  > to the issues raised by the civil society of Kerala.
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > The convention will be a broad platform of civil society organizations
>  > and people's movements to discuss and critically analyze the present
>  > tourism trends, tourism practices in the state. Participation is free,
>  > of course. No participation fee!
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > We request you to be part of the convention and our efforts to unveil
>  > Kerala tourism's ill affected tourism practices and hidden agendas.
>  >
>  >  Please send your suggestions, comments and feed back to:
>  > tourismwatch.kerala at gmail.com <mailto:tourismwatch.kerala at gmail.com>
>  >
>  >  In Solidarity
>  >
>  > Kerala Tourism Watch
>  >
>  >  Robin, Keralaeeyam, Thrissur - Ph: + 91 9446576943
>  >
>  > Geo Jose, Ph: + 91 9446000701
>  >
>  >
>  > * *About Kerala Tourism Watch**
>  >
>  > Kerala Tourism Watch is an informal coalition of civil society activists
>  > and local communities to respond to the threats and challenges posed by
>  > exploitative and undemocratic tourism practices in Kerala that upset
>  > people's livelihood and cause cultural, environmental, economic and
>  > social maladies that the Government is unable to control.
>  >
>  >  Kerala is a state in Indian Union known for its remarkable
>  > achievements in social sectors such as health and education based on
>  > decades of social mobilization and political articulation of oppressed
>  > castes and communities in the 19th and 20th centuries. A vibrant and
>  > vigilant civil society has been the hall mark of the state which has
>  > forced successive governments belonging to the centrist and left
>  > persuasions to make progressive legislations, implement social security
>  > programmes and democratize institutional structures and procedures
>  > within the confines of the dependency relations of the productive
>  > sectors to national and international labour and commodities markets.
>  >
>  >  Right from the 1980s when Hotel Industry in the state, supported by
>  > the government policies and bureaucratic intermediation, began an
>  > aggressive campaign to market Kerala as a tourism destination, civil
>  > society groups and social movements have raised concerns about its
>  > harmful impacts on the social, economic, cultural and environmental
>  > fronts. The history of civil society activism in Kerala in the last few
>  > decades is marked also by the strong presence of oppositional voices
>  > against the unjust and undemocratic nature of tourism practices in the
>  > state.
>  >
>  >  Local communities in Kerala who are seriously affected by the
>  > exploitative tourism development in the state are now on the brink of a
>  > social, environmental and cultural breakdown as their rights to
>  > livelihood is threatened in an unprecedented manner by state policies
>  > mandating reactionary legislations, forced and market mediated evictions
>  > and  increasing economic and cultural marginalization.  Local
>  > communities are loosing their land, jobs and indigenous cultures as a
>  > result of the assaults of commercial tourism.
>  >
>  >  As a collective, Kerala Tourism Watch believes that Kerala
>  > Government's Tourism Department has been long ignoring the demands
>  > raised by local communities and civil society organizations for a
>  > democratized and equitable tourism development in the state. The
>  > Department has been ridiculously vocal in its rhetorical assertions
>  > about practicing ecotourism, responsible tourism, participatory tourism
>  > etc., -the buzzwords of the day. The reality is however, is that the
>  > fundamental practices of mass commercial tourism remains the same
>  > irrespective of the catchy names appropriated by the department for
>  > marketing Kerala as a global destination. Even the pathetic pastiche
>  > 'God's Own Country' is nothing more than a public relations stunt.
>  > Kerala tourism, obviously, has a long way to go in achieving basic goals
>  > of transparency, accountability and responsiveness.
>  >
>  >  At a time when Indigenous people, fishing communities, local
>  > populations and civil society groups are engaged in relentless struggles
>  > against irresponsible tourism development and policies of the
>  > Governments and the tourism Department in the state, we understand that
>  > documentation and campaign support are crucially important for the
>  > success of the movements. Kerala Tourism Watch will hence, attempt to
>  > update information on the campaigns, movements, policies, networks and
>  > every possible aspect of societal impacts of tourism in the state.
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
>  > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
>  > "Green Youth Movement" group.
>  >  To post to this group, send email to greenyouth at googlegroups.com
>  >  To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>  > greenyouth-unsubscribe at googlegroups.com
>  >  For more options, visit this group at
>  > http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB
>  > -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
>  >
>  >
>
>
>  --
>  Deepak P
>  http://deepakp7.googlepages.com/
>
>
> _________________________________________
>  reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
>  Critiques & Collaborations
>  To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header.
>  To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
>  List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>

-- 
we are realists, we dream the impossible - Che Guevera