Incredible !ndia
Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations, Kochi, Kerala
21-24 March 2008

Provisional Conference Schedule

FRIDAY 21st MARCH INAUGURAL SESSION (10 A.M TO 11.00 A.M.)

• Inauguration by Shri Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Hon. Minister for Home, Vigilance and Tourism, Govt Of Kerala.



• Presidential address by Mr. Shilabhadra Banerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India.

Speakers at the Inaugural Session

• Dr Harsh Varma , Director - Development Assistance, UNWTO



• Hiran Cooray, Secretary and Treasurer, PATA



• Vijay Thakur, President , IATO



• Angel B Colley - Secretary of State, Department of State for Tourism and Culture, The Republic of the Gambia



• Fiona Jeffrey , Chairman, World Travel Market



• Cherian Philip , Chairman, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation



• Ajeet Bajaj , President, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India



• Mukesh Jagga , President, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India



• E.M Najeeb , President, Kerala Travel Mart Society



• Mandip Singh Soin , President, Ecotourism Society of India

ACADEMIC CONFERENCE From (9.00 A.M TO 11 .00 A.M) & (1.30 P.M to 5.00 P.M)

The Academic Conference will feature prominent academicians presenting papers and research findings on topics relating to Responsible Tourism, livelihoods and local empowerment through tourism.

Amongst the presentations will be

• A review of progress on responsible tourism since Cape Town-
  Prof. Harold Goodwin, International Centre for Responsible Tourism, Leeds Metropolitan University

• Community-based Tourism – what works and what does not work, drawing on experience in South America and Asia - Nicole Haeusler, mas contour, Germany

• Strategies for Developing Sustainable Tourism Programmes -
  Gordon Sillence, DestiNet Partnership between the EEA, UNWTO, UNEP and Ecotrans.

Click here for full list of speakers in the Academic Conference

SATURDAY 22nd MARCH SESSION I (9.00 A.M. TO 12.30 P.M.) THE RESPONSIBLE TOURISM MOVEMENT – GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

Keynote speaker:

Mr.Shilabhadra Banerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

• A review of progress on responsible tourism since Cape Town –
  Prof. Harold Goodwin, International Centre for Responsible Tourism, Leeds Metropolitan University

  Since the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations was adopted in 2002 there has been some progress and this paper will review it. However, it is clear that there has been more progress in tour operating, accommodation and in transport than there has been in destinations. The Cape Town Declaration established an agenda for change and challenged stakeholders to work together to achieve change, progress has been made but much more needs to be done. This paper will be updated during the conference to include developments and debates which take place in Kerala and published on line.
  




• UNWTO initiatives in the field of sustainable tourism/community-based tourism –
  Dr. Harsh Varma, Director – Development Assistance, UNWTO.



• What has Community-based Tourism contributed to the Responsible Tourism Movement? - Nicole Haeusler , mas contour, Germany



• Responsible Tourism – An NGO perspective from Africa - Adama Bah, Chair of the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism and Gambian Projects Coordinator, Travel foundation



• Responsible tourism, planning and local governance – lessons from Africa and Asia (drawing on examples from South Africa, Seychelles, India and Russia) -
  Heidi Keyser, ICRT South Africa



• Linking the Poor to Tourism Markets: Examples and lessons learned from international experience - International Trade Centre, Geneva



• Responsible Tourism : the concept and the product -  Exploring Indian realities -
  B.R Saroop Roy, Equations



• Conservation and Community benefits – Responsible Tourism - Les Carlisle, Group Conservation Manager, Conservation Corporation

SESSION II (2.00 P.M. TO 5.30 P.M.) EXPERIENCES FROM DESTINATIONS

SOUTH AFRICA

• Developments in South Africa since 2002 - Heidi Keyser, ICRT, South Africa
  
  
• Developments in Cape Town since the 2002 Declaration - Nombulelo Mkefa, Director Tourism, City of Cape Town



• Public Private Partnerships (PPP) as a Case Study in the South African National Parks - Giju Varghese, Head: Business Development, South African National Parks (SANParks)

THE GAMBIA

• The Responsible Tourism Partnership - Kaliba Senghore, Director of the Gambian Tourism Authority



• ASSET and the Gambia is Good initiative – work done with the Travel Foundation to include the industry. - Adama Bah, Chair of the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism and Gambian Projects coordinator Travel Foundation

MALAYSIA

• How Wild Asia is promoting Responsible Tourism in the region - Rebecca Thomason, Responsible Tourism Coordinator, Wild Asia, Malaysia

INDIA

• Responsible Tourism Initiative in Kerala – A Destination based approach - Dr.Venu.V, Secretary , Kerala Tourism

THAILAND

• From Relief to Self-reliance: Developing Community-based Tourism After the Tsunami , Bodhi Garrett, Founder, NATR and Andaman Discoveries

SRI LANKA

• Post tsunami initiatives in Sri Lanka – Hiran Cooray, Co-chairman, Responsible Tourism partnership,Sri Lanka

BHUTAN

• John Hummel, Regional senior adviser/ Network leader, Pro-Poor Sustainable Tourism, SNV Asia.

NEPAL

• Responsible Tourism in Nepal and Ghana – African and Asian experiences -
  Raj Gyawali, Founder Director of Socialtours.com.

ASIA PACIFIC

• Hotels in Asia - An overview - Andrew Jones, Guardian, Sanctuary Resorts.

Summary by Co-chairs

SESSION III (5.30 P.M. TO 7.00 P.M.) RURAL TOURISM : THEMATIC PRESENTATIONS & INTERACTIONS

• Rural Tourism Experience in India - Sudhir Sahi, UNDP National Consultant, Rural Tourism Project

                      Engaging the tourism process to strengthen rural livelihoods…based on rural                       community art & craft skills…enabling visitors to experience the rural way of                       life…

Dinner

SUNDAY 23rd MARCH SESSION IV (9.00A.M. TO 11.00 A.M.) CASE STUDIES FROM INDIAN DESTINATIONS

• Help Tourism model in East Himalaya - Supratim (Raj) Basu, Director, Help Tourism Community based tourism in the biodiversity hotspots of Eastern Himalayas.
  A model for South and South East Asia

• Our Native Village - Using responsible tourism to create social change -
  C.B Ramkumar, Founder & Managing Director, Our Native Village

                     How do we use tourism to effect social change?

• Treading lightly - responsible practices and beyond - Mandip Singh Soin,
  Vice President, Adventure Tours Operators Association of India
  
             The talk will focus on sustainable and eco friendly practices in the tour operation            segment based on Ibex Expeditions operation and highlight some specific            initiatives that are beyond the call of duty


• ‘Paradise Protected, a community participation model’ - Kampa Borgoyari ,
  Deputy Chief, Bodoland Territorial Council, Assam
  
             How community participation in conservation and tourism is bringing back the            glory of Manas - A World Heritage Site in Danger



• How large hotels can contribute to the aims of Cape Town Declaration -
  Niranjan Khatri, GM, Welcomenviron Initiatives, ITC Hotels.



• Ecosphere - Developing an Ecological & Cultural Conscience - Ishitha Khanna,
  Co Founder, Eco Sphere
  
  
• Taking responsibility for destination sustainability - what hotels can do? –
  Param Kannampilly, Director, Orchid Hotels

SESSION V (11.15 A.M. TO 1.00 P.M) THE KERALA EXPERIENCE

• Responsible Tourism and Community Enterprise-Convergence for Local Governance – Sarada Muraleedharan, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission

                      From percept to practice – convergent action to link local production to hotel                       industry demand.- redefining the role of local governments in local economic                       development.

• An Alternative Model for Hotels - Jose Dominic, MD, CGH Earth

                   “Indigenous and small” have been the key ingredients of the Kerala model of                      development. The presentation will articulate how these have contributed to                      Kerala’s  Responsible Tourism performance.

• The Nila Project – Gopinath Parayil,  Chief Executive Officer, The Blue Yonder

                     Defining 'Responsibility': Experiences from the River Nila initiative

• Lullaby@Varkala - K.C. Chandrahasan, Managing Director, Kerala Travels

                   How a symbiotic relationship between travellers and host community is                      transforming Varkala into an ethical desitnation.

• Community Based Protection Oriented ECO Tourism – Periyar Experience–Padma Mohanty, Deputy Director, Periyar Tiger Reserve (East Division)

           Ecotourism has been a tool for park protection, interpretation of the values of            the park, capcity building of the local community , generating alternative            livelihood options and reducing negative dependency on the park, and above all            an instrument of social change.

• Kumbalangi – A Panchayat promoting homestays – John Pazheri, Kumbalangi Grama Panchayat
  
  
• Zero Waste Kovalam - C.Jayakumar, Director, Thanal

           Waste management issues and analysis of 'Zero Waste Kovalam' as an attempt           to show case how the Zero Waste concept of 3E (Ethics, Economics and            Efficiency) is a pre-requisite for Responsible Tourism

• The Kumily Panchayat Initiative – President , Kumily Grama Panchayat & C.A Abdul Basheer, Eco Tourism Officer, Periyar Tiger Reserve

                     Responsible Tourism as a tool for local development- by improving the quality of
                     life and destination and by enriching the local experience- Experiences of
                     Kumily Grama  Panchayath

AFTERNOON SITE VISITS (2.00 P.M to 7.00 P.M)

All registered delegates will be given the option to participate in one of the site visits given below. A form to indicate the preferences will be circulated to the delegates.

Thattekkad (driving time – 2 hours one way)

The Thattekad bird sanctuary is one of the richest birding sites in Kerala, and also the location for nature based tourism activities with the participation of the local community.

• Presentation on The Hornbill Camp



• Visit to the bird sanctuary and an overview of the activities of the camp like birding, cycling, kayaking and its contribution to promoting Responsible Tourism

Canal Cruise (Ittipuzha near Vaikom – driving time – 90 minutes )

The canal cruise project, started by local entrepreneurs, has become a popular day tour for tourists. The cruise is an intimate and non intrusive way of seeing the landscape and offers an authentic and involved experience.

• Canoe Ride



• Visit Coir Villages, Coconut farms and Spice plantations

Kumbalangi (driving time - 1 hour)

A visit to the Kumbalangi panchayat, on the outskirts of Kochi. Kumbalangi is one of the locations of the rural tourism project initiated by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

• Visit to a homestay



• Interaction with the panchayat representatives

Fort Kochi (driving time – 1 hour)

Fort Kochi, the historical precinct of Kochi, is one of the most popular locations for visitors. It is also a place of vibrant local entrepreneurship, which ranges from managing the picturesque Chinese fishing nets, to local eateries, to home stays.

• Interaction with local entrepreneurs



• Visit the St Francis Church where Vasco da Gama was buried

Mattancherry (driving time – 1 hour)

The bustling market of Mattanchery is an interesting mix of business and history. A melting pot of many cultures, Mattanchery offers an insight into shopping, both for ethnic and exotic products.

• Visits to the Jewish Synagogue, Spice Market and antique shops

Kumarakom (driving time – 90 minutes)

A visit to Kumarakam, one of the most popular backwater destinations in Kerala, is an opportunity to understand the dynamics of the relationship between big hotels and the local community. Kumarakam is one of the destinations taken up for the Responsible Tourism initiative of Kerala Tourism.

• Interaction with the local panchayat representatives and hoteliers



• Visit farms supplying produce to hotels

Alappuzha (driving time – 1 hour)

Alappuzha is the central location for the houseboat industry. Mostly run by local entrepreneurs, the houseboat has become iconic for Kerala Tourism.

• Interaction with  Houseboat operators, crew and local businessmen



• Visit to a houseboat building site

Mararikulam (driving time – 1 hour)

An emerging beach destination, Mararikulam is about one local entrepreneur kick starting a destination. It is also about the emerging opportunities for the local community, and the issues and problems of an evolving economic model.

• Interaction with hoteliers, local body representatives and trade union representatives



• Visit coir weaving unit

MONDAY 24th MARCH SESSION VI (8.30 A.M. TO 9.30 A.M.) GROUP DISCUSSIONS BASED ON SITE VISITS SESSION VII (10.00 A.M. TO 12 NOON)

• Where Spices meet Ayurveda: Linking up tourism and agricultural value chains for the benefit of Kerala's poor.- Fabrice LECLERCQ , Senior Trade Promotion Adviser, Export-led Poverty Reduction Market Development Section, International Trade Centre
  
  
Kerala's spice growing and tourism industries are booming. The presentation lays out an innovative concept of the International Trade Centre to link both sectors through areas like wellness, health and traditional Indian medicine markets, high value spices, and herbs growing in rural communities.


• Multi-stakeholder processes in destinations – what have learnt since Cape Town? - Adama Bah, Chair of the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism and Gambian Projects coordinator Travel Foundation



• The role of government at national and local level – what have we learnt since Cape Town? - Heidi Keyser, ICRT South Africa
  
  
  
• Travel Philanthropy – Prof.Harold Goodwin and Janice Lee , Saga Charitable Trust

A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS WILL BE ADDED TO REFLECT THE ISSUES WHICH ARISE DURING THE CONFERENCE AND THE INTERESTS OF PARTICIPANTS

PLENARY SESSION (1.00 P.M. TO 4.00 P.M.) REPORT BACK AND DISCUSSION OF CONCLUSIONS

• Drafting of the KERALA DECLARATION ON RESPONSIBLE TOURISM 2008



• Adoption of the Declaration and Summing Up

Farewell Dinner