Kerala to host intl meet on 'Responsible Tourism'

Thiruvananthapuam, Feb 3 (UNI) The second International Conference on Responsible Tourism focusing on local economic development and poverty eradication will be held in Kerala in September this year.

The conference will be organised by the Kerala Tourism Department in partnership with the UK-based International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) and its Indian chapter.

The conference would discuss tourism with respect to local economic development, poverty eradication and how tourism could contribute to social development, Kerala Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters at the end of the two-day conference on responsible Tourism here.

He said the conference would also look into the environmental impact so that the industry could be best managed. The conference to be held after five years, would also reflect Kerala's efforts to work towards becoming a 'Responsible Tourism' destination. The first conference was held in Cape Town, South Africa in 2002.

UNI