GANGTOK, 15 June: WWF-India, Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) and Khangchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC) jointly organised a two-day training workshop on ‘Practising Responsible Tourism’ on 11-12 June in Gangtok, Sikkim.
The workshop was part of WWF’s ‘Green Hiker’ campaign, an initiative that aims at conserving the Himalayan high altitude wetlands, founded under its 'Saving Wetlands Sky-High’ programme, informs a press release. The campaign is already running successfully in India in the five Himalayan states of Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Targeted primarily at tourism service providers, the workshop enabled an analysis and discussion on the current tourism scenario and trends in Sikkim, the urgent need for responsible tourism, successful case studies of community-based and home stays from Arunachal Pradesh, Makaibari, Mayal lyang (Dzongu), Darap and more.
Strong emphasis was laid on the need for setting standards and guidelines for home stays, in consultation and agreement with the local communities and the right kind of marketing, to regulate the kind of tourists they receive, the release informs.
Speaking at the event, Joint Secretary, Department of Tourism, Sikkim said responsible tourism is a major part of our tourism mission. “We have been given recommendations for responsible tourism. Our government is seriously considering the particular recommendation of founding a day called the ‘Great Sikkim Clean-Up’ perhaps on Earth Day, when the entire Sikkim would come together to clean up the state. We are trying to build a consensus in the government to implement this recommendation. I hope all participants learn from this workshop”, he added.
DFO Ecotourism, Mr. Angabalam read out a message from the PCCF and Secretary, Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department - “The FEWMD has started many projects in the ecotourism direction, one of which is ready to implement a number of activities to strengthen ecotourism services, creating links between tour operators and local communities offering tourism services, improving solid waste management at ecotourism sites and more”.
“Tourism has become an important source of economy for Sikkim. However, it has exceeded its carrying capacity and there is no aggregated data on the kind of tourist inflow. What we need for responsible tourism more than development is the capacity building of our people”, stated Member of Parliament, PD Rai, summing up the first day of the workshop.
Rajah Banerjee of the Makaibari Tea Estate, Darjeeling was also present at the workshop to share his experience of Community-based Tourism in his tea gardens. This case study highlighted that tourism must not be viewed in isolation as an activity but should always remain connected to other livelihood options which would supplement tourism, and take it to the next level, the release further informs.
Home stay and Community-based Tourism initiatives should not be seen just as an alternative source of income. In addition, monitoring is important because the social fabric also needs to be safeguarded, said Karma Gyatso of the Department of Tourism. The workshop concluded with recommendations and future action plans for laying a strong foundation for a more responsible and sustainable kind of tourism in Sikkim, states the release.
The workshop was attended by senior officers from the Tourism and Forest Department, tour operators, hotel owners and other service providers from the tourism industry, NGOs, CBOs, and students from Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
The workshop was part of WWF’s ‘Green Hiker’ campaign, an initiative that aims at conserving the Himalayan high altitude wetlands, founded under its 'Saving Wetlands Sky-High’ programme, informs a press release. The campaign is already running successfully in India in the five Himalayan states of Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Targeted primarily at tourism service providers, the workshop enabled an analysis and discussion on the current tourism scenario and trends in Sikkim, the urgent need for responsible tourism, successful case studies of community-based and home stays from Arunachal Pradesh, Makaibari, Mayal lyang (Dzongu), Darap and more.
Strong emphasis was laid on the need for setting standards and guidelines for home stays, in consultation and agreement with the local communities and the right kind of marketing, to regulate the kind of tourists they receive, the release informs.
Speaking at the event, Joint Secretary, Department of Tourism, Sikkim said responsible tourism is a major part of our tourism mission. “We have been given recommendations for responsible tourism. Our government is seriously considering the particular recommendation of founding a day called the ‘Great Sikkim Clean-Up’ perhaps on Earth Day, when the entire Sikkim would come together to clean up the state. We are trying to build a consensus in the government to implement this recommendation. I hope all participants learn from this workshop”, he added.
DFO Ecotourism, Mr. Angabalam read out a message from the PCCF and Secretary, Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department - “The FEWMD has started many projects in the ecotourism direction, one of which is ready to implement a number of activities to strengthen ecotourism services, creating links between tour operators and local communities offering tourism services, improving solid waste management at ecotourism sites and more”.
“Tourism has become an important source of economy for Sikkim. However, it has exceeded its carrying capacity and there is no aggregated data on the kind of tourist inflow. What we need for responsible tourism more than development is the capacity building of our people”, stated Member of Parliament, PD Rai, summing up the first day of the workshop.
Rajah Banerjee of the Makaibari Tea Estate, Darjeeling was also present at the workshop to share his experience of Community-based Tourism in his tea gardens. This case study highlighted that tourism must not be viewed in isolation as an activity but should always remain connected to other livelihood options which would supplement tourism, and take it to the next level, the release further informs.
Home stay and Community-based Tourism initiatives should not be seen just as an alternative source of income. In addition, monitoring is important because the social fabric also needs to be safeguarded, said Karma Gyatso of the Department of Tourism. The workshop concluded with recommendations and future action plans for laying a strong foundation for a more responsible and sustainable kind of tourism in Sikkim, states the release.
The workshop was attended by senior officers from the Tourism and Forest Department, tour operators, hotel owners and other service providers from the tourism industry, NGOs, CBOs, and students from Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
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