Kerala to focus on 'responsible tourism'

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Kochi, June 3: Responsible tourism will be the linchpin of Kerala Tourism's new strategy, was adopted at the Incredible India Second International conference on Responsible Tourism.

The conference, inaugurated by Mr. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala and presided over by Mr. Shailabhadra Banerjee, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, was attended by 503 delegates from 29 countries. Kerala declaration was developed through a participatory process that was moderated by Dr. Venu V., Co-chair of the conference and Secretary, Kerala Tourism.

At the concluding session of the conference academicians, representatives from Government agencies, NGOs, media and the travel and tourism industry from Kerala, India and international arena participated. The delegates shared their expertise and experience to take forward the agenda of Responsible Tourism and Sustainable Tourism development across the world.

Kerala declaration on Responsible Tourism was a sequel to the Cape Town declaration, adopted at the Cape Town Conference organized by the Responsible Tourism Partnership and Western Cape Tourism preceding the World summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in the year 2002.

Besides Dr. Harold Goodwin, International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT), Leeds Metropolitan University, Co-chair of the Conference, eminent persons like, Dr. Harsh Varma, Director, The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Ms. Fiona Jeffery, Chairman, World Travel Market, Mr. Adama Bah, Travel Foundation, Mr. Hiran Cooray, Secretary&Treasurer, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), made speeches at the inaugural session of the conference.

Mr. Juan Carlos Bonilla, Mr. Felix Francis, Ms. Nicole Frey, Ms. Rachel Dodds, Dr. P. K. Manoj, Ms. Lucy Mccombes, Ms. Maria Lusia Rendon Puertas, Dr. Anna Spenceley, Mr. Prem Subramaniam and Mr. Gordon Sillence presented academic papers and Dr. Venu V., Ms. Sarada Muraleedharan, Mr. Sudhir Sahi, Ms. Yumnaa Firfirey and Ms. Archana Capoor presented International Conference papers.

The conference papers of Responsible Tourism can be accessed through the homepage of the website www.keralatourism.org, official website of Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala.

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