anletter volume 7 issue 1-nov 2000-equations

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Eguafions

The rcadless traveled. . .

The ANletter comes to you after a gap af two years. In this

intervening period, tourism development and the tourism debatehave traversed paths, which at that time may have seemed

implausible. The team at EQUATIONS has closely tracked these

trajectories and the ANletter in its present form is intended to

refl ect these shift s : in the way tourism has and is expanding, and in

the multiple initiatives, intenentions, and

responses, of govemments, policy makers,

stakeholders, interest lobbies, concerned

groups, and communities.

The process of reflecting on the role of the

AN[etter in the past and our vision of its role in

the future was also an oppofiuniqr for us tocapture the sffis in the last couple of years in

the Cirection and pace oftourism development.

In parallel, we have attempted to follow the way

we have organized our own approach, analysis,

and intenentions, within EQUMIONS and its

networls, to respond to these shifts, These

ch'anges are clearly reflected in the way the

Nletter is now stmctured and the priorities

that we address through this very important

tool.

The speed and unabashed vigor with which

tourism is being promoted all over the country

is unprecedented. Peddled as the new hope,

prqmises of foreign exchange eamings, pover$r allelviation,

employnent generation, regeneration of the environment, and

empowering disadvantaged groups such as women, it is a mantra

that is presented as almost unquestionable in its efficacy

The familiar boundaries are rapidly blurring. Kerala has a

separate stall at the ITB, the global mega tourism-marketing

annual fair at Berlin. Karnataka's recent Global Investors Meet

tied up l6 tourism projects that are to come up in the statewith an

expected investment of k. 1566.06 crores, Rajasthan and Kerala

have forged partnerships with the Vodd Travel and Tourism

Council, which opened its India chapter. The Andhra Pradesh

government has constituted a task force for tourism development

with members from Malaysia advising on it, and is reported to be

EQUATIONS Publ ication on

Tourism Critique and Response

Vol 7 No 1 November 2000

investing an amount of k. 5000 crores in infrastructure related to

tounsm.

States in India that were hitherto not on the international tourist

map like Meghalaya and Nagaland are being opened up for

intemational tourists. Nagaland was under the protected area

regrne, and fcreign tourists are being allowed inside for the first

time after The Foreigners Order of 1958.

The Meghalaya govemment, on the other

hand, is creating a security squad for the

safety of their tourists. Rajasthan, it is

reported, has sought the help of

paramilitary forces for the protection of

their national pads and sanctuaries.

Not to be left behind in this mad scramble,

central and state tourism depafiments are

prolific in announcing new projects and

unique selling propositions. The Kashmir

government is opening a new road to

krgil to cash in on the image of the Ihrgilwar in 1999. A new 'palace on wheels'

train from Mumbai-Ratnagrri-Sindhudurg-

Goa-Kolhapur-Pune-Ajantha Ellora-Nasik

to Mumbai is planned by the Indian

Railways. Vest Bengal's 'Tourism

Township in Midnapore, Uttar Pradesh's

tourism through yoga, Maharashtra's

adventure tourism, Rajasthan's farm

tourism, the redefining of pilgrimage

circuits, and thc cnthusiasm with which monuments are being

declared as world heritage sites, are examples of the state's

inventiveness.

Industrial consortia like CII and ASSOCHAM, and vested interest

groups like the hotel associations and tour operators, are key

determiners of the direction of tourism development. The Union

Tourism Minister Mr Ananth Kumar is reported to have assured

them that tourism will be accorded a status on par with the ITsector In its quest to chase the elusive figure of 5 million foreign

tourist arivals in the year 2000, the lndian government has

signed tourism pacts with countries like Italy and Indonesia.

In the global arena the action has not let up either The Economic

ard Social Council of the LT'{ General Assemblv uroclaimed 2002



the International Year of Mountains (resolution 53/24 of l0November 1998). The Assembly has called on governmerts,

national and internationd.organizations, NGOs, and the private

sector, to nake voluntary contributions 'and to lend other forms ofsupportto the Year. The Food andAgriculture Organization (IAO)

of the United Nations was invited to serve as the lead asencv for the

Year. On 15 Decenber 1998 (resolution 53/2001, the LlN

Ceneral Assemblv proclaimed 2002 u the International Year ofEcotourism, as recommended by the Economic and Social

Council. The Assembly stressed the need to integrate sustainable

development in the tourist industry in particular 'ecotourism indeveloping countries'.

In February 2000, member govenunenls of the World Trade

Organisation (WTO) have officially started new multilateral

negotiations in seruices, as mandated by the General Agreement

on Trade in Services (GATS). Tourism will no doubt be a priority

target in these negotiations: it is one of the world's biggest

industries and has acquired an imporlant position in world trade.

In our opinion, the GATS interveles deeply into areas of national

and sub-national autonomy ofthe countries. The effect of such

intrusion is accompanied with greater problems since thestructures Ihat zrevilal for the participation of all concerned are

also lacking in most developing countries. Sbcondly, human

rights violations in the field of tourism pose a fundamental

question to the new wodd trade order, Thirdly, the

implementation of the commitments under ttre GATS could Iead to

a disregarding of the WIO-OMC's commitment to sustainable

development ard conservation of natural resources.

This is the contexl a"s we are ooised in this countrv to receive the

next Tourism Policy document. Since the last draft policy

directive announced in 1998, the evidence has only been

mounting ofthe other, dark, face oftourism.

o The usurping of the rights of local communities to resources,

natural and material, and the diversion of these resources to

the "development " oftourism

o The shrinking space for political participation and abiiitv to

influence decisions that imoact livelihood. and choices

about how and where to live.

o The irreversible and thoughtless destruction of fragile

ecosystems

o The increased peripheralisation of lulnerable groups likechildren, women, indigenous people

are some aspects of this dark side that the ANletter is witness too.

It is also witness to effofis at the regional, national, and inter-

national levels to create spaces to dialogue and demand forms of

development that are sustainable, equitable, and humane.

The United Nations Commission for Sustainable Develoonent in

its Seventh Session in April 1999 devoted its tilne to tourisrn. Itstressed that policy development and i mplementation should take

place in cooperation u,ith all interested parties, especially the

private sector and local and indigerlous conmunities. The right to

resources and the need for multiple stakeholder approach wasreiterated. EQUATIONS is the southern co-chair of the NGO

Caucus.

EQUATIONS workhop in collaboration with the Kerala Tourism

Depafiment, inJulv 2000, on the direction of the state's tourismpolicv posited the role of panchavats in the tourism planning

process.

To handle the range and complexiff of issues related to tourisrn,

its manifestations and impacts, we have shifted from a

H ighlightsTourism Issues in IndiaFor betler prospects - a workshop to review the

path oftourism in Kerala I

Tourism Issues - International

Tourism and sustainable development 6

Indigenous People, Wildlife Tourism,

and Ecotourism

The government should put stricter regulations

in place:Jose Dominic l2

Tourism and the Coast

ECR - Lrtending the Peril 20

Campaigns

Cleaning up Tourism : 0n the campaign on

baruilng plastics in Kodaikanal 33

TourismandtheLawBombay High Court at Goa Delivers Major

EnvironmentVerdict 35

Reviews

Towards Sustainable Tourism in the

Everest Region ofNepal 39

geographical focus to understanding issues across boundaries.

You will notice that state diaries that were an integral part ofe'arlier ANleffers have now acceded space to theme based

sectious such as policv interventions, coastal issues, indigenous

people, ecotourism, and wildlife tourism. Conspicuous by their

absence are the debales on women and tourism, the child and

tourism, and alternatives in tourism. These will feature in future

Nletters, building for you a mosaic of issues that a complex zu:rd

peculiarly modern form of development such as tourism throws

up.

The canvas of our interventions ha.s also expanded from primarilv

the South Indian states to national and internafional arenzs. We

hope in tirne, the ANletter will accurately capture and reflect this

cnange.

1999 saw us bid sad farewell and pay homage to two remarkable

individuals RR Sivaling'am (9''July) and Martin Staebler (24"'

November). As we go to print we would also record ourcondolences at the passing awav of Desmond DAbreo (25

October 2000). In their passing away we have lost not just

brilliant minds, but compassionate and visionary leaders zurd

indefzrtigable crusaders, Their lives and their contribution to ourwork are a power{ul inspiration of what individuals do.

As we bring this issue of the ANletter to you we feel both

challenged and sobered at the terrain that lies ahead. As readers

vou have in the past parlnered with us withvour

contributions,

responses, and crifique, and we look forward to pickng up the

threads of that relationship. Your feedback to us on the ANletterwould be invaluable.

K T Suresh

You are welcome to reprOduce/translate any of the malerial in this newsletter Please

credit us approprately and send us a copy of the repr0duced material f0r our

nformation The vews expressed n the articles are those of the authOrs and not

necessarily of the publishers



For better prospects- a workshop to review the path of tourism in Kerala

The decade oftourism in Kerala

Kerala has shown a growing interest in tourism in the lasl

decade Tourism is seen as one of the most important foreign

exchange earners and as an instrument for economic growth

and development lt is trying to supplement the'industry

starved' status of the state by tourism development. lt isestimated that between 1 996-99, there has been an investment

of Rs. 400 crore f rom various financial institutions into the

tourism sector. lt is envisaged by the state that such investments

and those from the private sector, while developing tourism,

would also contribute to the general infrastructure development

of the state The state also anticipates that it would be able to

supplement the diminishing repatriations f rom the Gulf through

tourism development Recently, the National Planning

Commission had remarked that tourism is the only dynamic

activity in the state in terms of private investments The

investments from the central as well as the state budgets also

show an upward trend The current state budgetary figures for

tourism stand at Rs.36 crore.

While these ambitious goals are visualized and attempts made to

realise them, the state policy documents and planners are clear

that they want to avoid the pitfalls of the earlier unplanned

t0urism development. There are increasing apprehensions from

-J he workshop 'Kerala Exploring Futtre Frontiers in

Tourism Dcvelopment' orgonised by Department of'Tottrism, Kerala, and EQLIATIOIVS, attemptecl at revieu'inglhe planning pntcess o.f touristn in the state and includingthe diflerent stakeholder.s. The process, drawing frontglobnl experient:es like the Commission for Sustainable

Development d' the LIN, was an efJbrt at looking Jor

: strstaintrble and eqttitable options in totrt'ism.

the people at tourism destinations that they are being left out

from the debate and the benefits and they now demand the

creation of structures that would ensure their oarticioation in

tourism development.

From the macro lo the micro

It has been realised globally that the presence of multiple

stakeholders has to be acknowledged for smooth functioning

of tourism activity. The United Nations Commission for

Sustainable Development can be seen as an outcome of the

need to include the various stakeholders in the planning

processes Attempts at regulation, for the proper functioning

of tourism, is on with the WTO-OMT (World Tourism

0rganisation) preparing 'The Code of Ethics' Though withpitfalls, this is an indication of the fact that the global bodies

do realise that many of the practices in tourism as it is

conducted today are unethical Thephilosophy

ofdecentralisation of planning is not new to Kerala. The

People's Plan process initiated in 1 996 has ensured that the

panchayats are given an impoftant space in the designing of

the development pattern of their areas This is not to say that

all is fine with the People's Plan process. But it certainly

allows thought on ensuring representation from various

sections of the soclety in deciding the f uture. EQUATI0NS,

ANLetter Vol 7 No 'l November 2000



Tourism lssues in India

with its ten years of experience in research and networking in

Kerala, could bring together the understandings from the macro

and the micro processes to a single platform which enabled the

possibility of looking at the planning pr0cess from the point of

view of sustainability and equity. The Depaftment of Tourism in

Kerala, also realising the need to enlarge the debate including thevarious stakeholders, was readyto co-hostthe workshop.

lt was in this context that a workshop, ' Kerala: Exploring Future

Frontiers in Tourism Developmenf was jointly organised by the

Department of Tourism, Kerala and EOUATI0NS on the 4'n and 5'n

of July at the Kanakaku nnu Palace in Thiruvananthapu ram.

The background ol the workshop

The objective of the workshop was to identify and place tourism

in the larger economic development paradigm of the state. Thevarious trends in today's tourism plans were to be closely

examined along with possibilities of integrating tourism

activities with the People's Plan process thus ensuring a multiple

stakeholder approach in planning and implementation. lt was felt

that tourism planning should be site-specific, thus taking local

dynamics into consideration. The attempt was to bridge the

distance between 'development' and welfare of communities.

'Sustainable' development, 'quality' tourist and 'eco' travel are

the buzzwords of the tourism industry today. The use of these

terms in variety of contexts has resulted in a situation where themeanings are not clear anymore. This is a time when allthe tour

operators, tourists and others use these ideas, making it ditficult

to put a finger on how exactly these terms are defined. The

workshop attempted at (re)defining these terms to understand

what these concepts are. Exploring these words, it was felt,

would enable an understanding of where today's tourism

development is headed. Defining these terms in the context of

today's tourism development would help to understand the

strategies that work behind using them in marketing tourism

various arms of the government like financial institutions, urban

planning bodies etc. The attempt on the part of the organiserswas to ensure an equitable share for the various stakeholders in

t0urism activities 0f the state This coming together of various

players in tourism, at a point when the Tourism Department is

formulating its new policy was significant, as it would enable the

incorporation of these varied viewpoints and aspirations into the

oolicv.

The workshop attempted tobring together antagonistic

viewooints to the same

olatform to visualise the future

tourism policy for the state. J pto@s: nls elsanng a mutttprc sa'kenotder

Th e wo rks h o o had I apprcacfi in planningandimplemenbtion. ltwastelt

The workshop was designed in such a way that each

participant represented the interests of a particular

stakeholding group. These objectives led to a design and

invitation of speakers who represented major stake holders

and interests that influenced the terrain of tourism in the

state. Dr. VVenu (Director, Dept. of Tourism, Kerala), AswiniLohani (Director, Ministry of Tourism, New Delhi), Thomas

lsaac & EM Sreedharan (members of the State Planning

Board), TT Sreekumar (lMG, Thiruvananthapuram), Prof.

Nina Rao (Delhi University), Dr. Alito Sequeira (Goa

University), Dr. B Vijayakumar (Kerala University), KT

Suresh, Haribabu (E0UATI0NS), KC Chandrappan

(Chairman, KTDC), U Kalanathan (President, Vallikunnu

Panchayat), PG Padmanabhan (Member, Kumarakom

Panchayat), C Jayakumar (Thanal), Dr. PC Sinha (JNU, New

Delhi), Jose Dominic (Casino Group of Hotels), Dr. A

Jayatilak (Managing Director, KTDC), C Subramanian ( TataConsultancy Services), KG Mohanlal (Director, Ecotourism)

were the speakers forthe different sessions,

The presenlalions in lhe workshop

TT Sreekumar presented a paper on 'Locating Tourism

Development in Kerala Economy' and explained that the role

of tourism in the growth of the economy of the state was

minimal. Kerala's attempt at promoting tourism should be

seen in the context of underdeveloped countries being forced

to take up tourism as the only possible economic activitybecause of declining terms of trade to agricultural products

and a high level of protection given to theirfarmers. Inspite of

an increasing specialisation of the developing countries in

tourism, the share of developed countries in the travel sector

continues to rise. The increase in the comparative advantage

of developing countries has not yet resulted in any signiflcant

rise in their share in the global tourism arrivals and receipts

revealing the fragile and inconsiderable foundation of

tourism industry in these regions. He refuted the figures of

tourism given in'The Economic

Review' (published by the StatePlanning Board) and said that the

figures of tourism growth in

Keralam are contradictory to the

National and the South Asian

figures. The spurious nature of the

data available on tourism is one of

the major hurdles in placing

t0urism in the right perspective. He

appealed to the members of the

Planning Board present to look into this matter immediately

so that any projection based on statistics will be grounded in

reality.

Prof. Nina Rao presented a paper on 'Tourism as an

Instrument of Growth'drawing heavily on global

exoeriences. She situated tourism in the context of

liberalisation where, according t0 her, multipliers are

bureaucrats, members of the hat burisn planning should be sib-specific, iltus

Planning Board, members of i bkinglonldynanisinbnnsiderafion.panchayats, academicians. -NG0s. the industrv and the




Iourism lssues in lndia

insignificant in comparison to the leakages. The impacts of

liberalisation include reductions in export earnings, more

unequal terms of trade, less official development aid, higher

external debt, greater poverty and underdevelopment, more

disease, hunger, and greater numbers marginalised In Latin

America and Mexico, wherean

unidirectional approach to

t0urism was taken, studies pointed to negative findings

Referring to the People's Plan process in the state, she said that

in Kerala, following the "political instincts" of the people is the

best way to fight the onslaught of the global regime.

Dr. B Vijayakumar discussed the 'Emerging Principles for the

Evolution of a Tourism Policy for Kerala in Consonance with the

Peoples'Planning Process'. Tourism being extremely site

specif ic and the commodity easily perishable, he said that it is

imperative that the reins of control be with the local community

He said that the People's Plan process is an impoftant space forthis transfer of power. He described the existing role of the local

bodies in tourism as that of silent onlookers. The inability of the

people to understand the complexities of tourism and to take

positions on it is

because of the lack of

transparency in the

pr0cess.

Dr. Alito Sequeira

discussed'The Role

of the Center inDetermining Tourism

Policy at the State

Level- ACaseStudy

of Goa'. He discussed

how centralisedplanning could affect

the local economy

and culture using Goa

as an example. The

burden of the

international treatiesthat the centralgovernment signs

has to be carried by

the states where the

local realities are

different. He also mentioned how the'imaging'of Goa in the

mediaand films has done a lotof harm to its culture He said he

was curious to see how People's Plan in Kerala would address

these issues effectively

Dr V Venu presented paper 0n 'Development 0ptions for a

Sustainable Tourism Policy for Kerala' He explored the different

ways in which sustainability is understood in different parts of

the world. For him sustainable develooment is all about

conservation. He said that the formulation of the tourism policy,

though a long way ahead, is to be a consultative process. Forthis

a task force is to be constituted As the various olavers have

been identified and need for a collective realised, the role of

the Department of Tourism in the f uture, is of a facilitator He

said that the need of taking the multiple stakeholder process

in planning process seriously, is well realised and that no one

could shy away from the process

0bseruations on the proceedings

The workshop stressed the need for increased participation

of the local bodies in tourism develooment lt was felt that

tourism should be integrated with the ongoing People's Plan

in the state The consensus emerged that the stress had to be

on increasing the

Eltective sysbms ofinplemenbtion, and more

inporbntly n onibring, have

b be aeabd hrough morestingent laws. P egionalplanning, the need for

dialogue, and tansparency

quality of tourism,

and not its quantity

Effective systems of

implementation, and

more importantly

monitoring, have to

be created through

more stringent laws.

Regional planning,

the need for dialogue,

and transparency were highlighted. The Planning Board and

the Department of Tourism agreed that the available

government data is spurious and that the parameters for

calculating it have to be thought out and made transparent.

The workshop recognised the need for a multi-stakeholder

approach in tourism lt was also clearly articulated that

conservation has to be the focus of all tourism development,

along with emphasis on sustainability, which needs t0

defined in concrete terms. A strong view that emerged from

the workshop was that sustainability has to be defined in

terms 0f 'sustainability of the environment and the

community, guided by the principles of equity and human

rights in accordance with the political ethos and history of

Kerala'. The need for motivation on the part of the state in

stricter enforcement 0f the existing laws ensuring the

sustainability of the living conditrons and culture, which

emerged f rom the discussions as among the most important

tourism caoital ofthe state. was stressed

The possibilities emerging from the dialogue are of great

signif icance. The Kerala Tourism Department has recognised

the need for a multi-stakeholder aooroach to determine the

future of t0urism development This in the long run would

help in ensuring an equitable share in participation in theplanning process and in the benefits among the various

players in tourism activity.

Balheesh R

Ca mpa i g n I nf o rmat i o n Su p port, E1UATI 1NS

ANLetter Vol 7 No 1 November 2000



Tourism lssues in India

Jhe central government is currently preparing thedraJifor anew National Tburism Policy, Report.s in the

new.spaper.s do not provide concrete information, butare indicative of changes in the pace of tourismdevelopment

The Government appears to have recognised the potential of

tourism, and made up its mind to accord all facilities at par with

Infotech industry. The Tourism Ministry is understood to have

prepared a blueprint f0r development of tourism as an engine 0f

economic growth and the second largest foreign exchange

earner.

According t0 sources in the ministry, the areas with higher

tourism potential will be divided into tourism zones and

developed as tourism cities on the lines of cyber cities. "The

Government has a definite olan to add another'T'to'lT'thatmeans a combination of information technology and tourrsm

(lTT)", the Union Tourism Minister, Ananth Kumar told the

Financial Exoress. The olan will be announced after consultation

with potentialstates.

The first step in the direction will be the launch of a majorinitiative aimed at providing specif ic city-based information to

tourists in tourism cities, Mr. Ananth Kumar affirmed. As part of

the initiative, passenger information kiosks will be set up at

major tourist destinations. The kiosks will have touch screen

facilities, which would provide the visitors information on

location of tourist spots, point to point taxi fares, road maps,

bus-routes, details oftrains and flights.

Similarly, the government is also chalking out a comprehensive

policy to bring in uniformity of tax structure in the states. To

facilitate this, a state tourism ministers- level meet will be

convened in order t0 reach a consensus on issues such as

rationalisation of hotel tariff and free inter-state movement of

tourist vehicles.

The issues were discussed at length during the recent meeting of

Indian Association of Tour 0perators (lAT0) wherein the

representatives from hospitality industry officials and the

tourism ministers from Rajapthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Kerala

and Gujarat pafticipated.They made a strong pitch to puttourism

on the concurrent lrst and to give a level-playing field to the

Tourism Ministry and bringing in synergy among state tourism

deoartments.A delegation of Hotel Association of India and lAT0 also met the

Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha who in turn assured

consideration of rationalisation of hotel tariffs, service tax after

consultation with state finance ministers on the lines of uniform

sales tax through out the country.

The article, written by Rakesh Sood, is reproduced from

The Financial Express, 30th August 2000.

Stage set for giving tourism Creating spectacle out of tragedyparity with lT industry

Jn early 2000, a startling decision to develop the

Union Carbide gas tragedy site in Bhopal into a

national park was announced by the centralgovernment. A decision that overlooks the human

rights ofthe victims, it has received scathing criticism

/rom activists. We reproduce a letter written by

Kalpavriksh (an environmental NGO based in Delhi)to the Ministry of Tourism on 2 I st ofJanuary 2000.

Dear Madam,

Re: Your Ministry's proposal to convert Union Carbide factory

land into a National Park

We have been informed that the Ministry of Tourism is inviting

proposals/suggestions for developing the land on which the

Union Carbide factory stands into a "National Park The

ministry's advertisement has been in the online version of The

Times of India. 0urfirst reaction to this was that 0f incredulous

0utrage. We d id not expect ou r govern ment to mock the victims

(who are even now reeling under the catastrophe that took

place 16 years ago) by inviting tourists to come and see one of

world's worst industrial disaster sites.

Far from seeing to it that the factory is cleaned up and all itstoxic remains disposed off safely, and ensuring that if anything,

the site becomes a monument against the tragic impacts of our

misplaced 'development' model, this government wants

tourists t0 come and admire (?) the site, to enjoy it as an

'amusement park I When the victims are stillfighting to get the

pittance that has been dubbed as "compensation", how can the

government even think of spending (or asking others to spend)

more money to build it into a tourism complex? lt would have

been more appropriate if the government accepted its failure in

providing good health care and justice to the victims and asked

the private sector to help it.Even the money that would go in constructing a memorial for

the dead would be far better utilised to save some of those who

are still dying from the effects of that fateful night of December

2nd, 1 984.

We demand that the advertisement be withdrawn immediately,

and that the Government of India issues an apology for this

insult, to those who were brutally killed on that night and.

continue to die or be maimed in the aftermath of the tragedy.

And if the government is serious ab0ut an alternative

development plan forthe site, it should listen t0 the Bhopal Gas

Peedith Mahila Udyog Sangathan and other organisations

representing the victims, for they have far better ideas than the

ideologically bankrupt tourism ministry seems to have on this

ISS U E,

Yours sincerely,

Roshni Kutty, Ashish Kothari,Neeraj Vagholikar,

Biorn Rahm, Raini Kolhari




Spain plans Europets firsl eco-tax on lourism

inorica in Spain is the./irst tourist destination to

levy eco-tax on its tourist,s. The regional government there

says that the money will he tts'ed for mttintenctnce of the

national parks and the damaged coastline.

0ne of Spain's major tourist destinations, the island of Minorca,

is to become the first place in Europe to experiment with a so-

called eco-tax on tourism Levied on holidaymakers, the tax will

aim to alleviate the eff ects of mass to u rism on the environ ment.

The Balearic lslands' regional government first proposed such a

measure when it came to power after elections in June. lt hasalready moved more quickly than many observers expected,

receiving enthusiastic backing last Friday from hotel owners 0n

the islands of Minorca and Formentera.

A spokesperson for the Balearic Tourism Department confirmed

that, barring unforeseen legal difficulties, an eco-tax would be

introduced next year "as a pilot project' on Minorca.

Full details have yet to be worked out, but the Balearics Revenue

Department said the tax would not exceed euros 1 2 (SPta 2,000)

per head and would probably be levied on visitors either on

arrival at airports 0r p0rts, or when registering at hotels '

Abo ut eu ros 1 8m a year wou ld be raised if it were extended to all

the Balearic islands, Mallorca and lbiza as well as Minorca, the

department estimated.

The revenue will be earmarked for the maintenance of national

parks and the restoration of damaged coastline

"{!,. ,.r3$;*

0uestioned about whether the tax might discourage tourists,

regional Finance Minister Joan Mesquida replied that, if they

could not pay this sort of money, 'l'd rather fthey] didn't

c0me

A spokesoerson for the lVlinorcan hotel owners' association

said that the proposal is a way of responding 'to our clientswho are demanding a better quality environment. This is a

revolution in the tourist industry and one which we welcome

The proposal has, however, met with opposition from other

sectors of the Balearics tourist industry, which fears that the

tax will impose an unfair burden on its business. 'There is no

reason why hoteliers should assume responsibility for the

degradation of the environment, said a representative of

hotel owners on Majorca, which is a designated UNESC0

World Biosohere Reserve

The twin problems of the destruction of coastline and of

waste disposal - both c0nnected to the growth of tourism -

have moved to the top of the political agenda in the Balearics

in recent Vears.

The write up is a reproduction

from the lnternet

AN Letter Vol Z No 1 November 2000



Tourism lssues - lnternalional

Tourism and sustainable development

he Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD), a consortium of the various stakeholders in thedevelopment debatefollowsfrom United Nations Commission on Environment and Development and Rio

Earth Summil of 1992. One of the first attempts to include tourism in the debate on sustainable

development, it attempts to coordinate the various bodies of the UN to the principal focus of sustainable

development, to promote the implementation of Agenda 2I, and to keep track of development issues. This

paper,focussing on tourism, is the draft report submitted by the Wce-Chairman, Navid HaniJ (Pakistan), on

the basis of informal consultations during the seventh session of CSD in April I 999.

The Commission on Sustainable Development,

Recallinglhe 0utcome ofthe nineteenth special session ofthe

General Assembly for the overall review and appraisal of the

implementation of Agenda 21,' in particular Assembly

resolution S/19-2, annex, of 28 June '1997, in paragraph 69 of

which the Assembly requested the Commission on Sustainable

Development to develop an action-oriented international

pr0gramme of work on sustainable tourism development, to be

defined in co-operation with the World Tourism 0rganisation,

the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the

United Nations Environment Programme, the Conference of theParlies to the Convention on Biological Diversity' and other

relevant bodies; and stressed that policy development and

imolementation should take olace in co-ooeration with all

interested pafiies, especially the private sector and local and

indigenous communities,

Recalling a/so that the General Assembly, in its resolution

53/200 of 1 5 December 1 998, proclaimed the year 2002 as the

lnternational Year of Ecotourism and in its resolution 53124 oI To advance sustainable tourism development,

inter alia, through the development and

implementation of policies and national strategies0r master nlans lor sustainable tourism

development based on Agenda 21, which will

encourage their tourism industry, assist in

attracting foreign direct investment and

appropriate environmentally sound technologies,

and also provide focus and direction for the active

pafticipation of major groups, including national

t0urism councils and, as appropriate, tourism

agencies and organisations, and the private sector

as wellas indigenous and local communities;

To consult, as appropriate, with all major groups

and local communities in thetourism development

1 Rep0rt ol the United Nations Conference 0n Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992, Vol I, Resolutions Ad0pted by the Conference (United

Nations publication, Sales No E, 93 | 8 and c0rrigendum), resolution l, annex ll

2 See United Nations Environment Programme, C0nvention on Biological Diversity (Envir0nment Law and Instituti0n Programme Aclivity Centre), June 1992

10November '1998 oroclaimed 2002 also as the

I nternational Year of Mountains.

Noting with appreciation the outcome of the multi-

stakeholder dialogue at the current session of the

Commission and the progress made so far by major groups

in promoting sustainable tourism development,

1 Decides to adopt an international work programme on

sustainable tourism development, containing the

elements outlined below and to begin its

implementation with appropriate means andresources, especlally for developing countries, which

will be reviewed in 2002, when the ten-year review of

pr0gress achieved since the United Nations

Conference on Environment and Develooment will be

carried out;

2. UrgesGovernments:

(a)

(b)




Tourism lssues - International

(i)

process, including policy formulation, planning,

management and sharing of benefits, which could

ref lect the need to harmonise the relationship am0ng

the people, the co m m u nity and the envi ron ment;

To work in partnership with major groups, especially

at the local level, to ensure active pafticipation in

tourism-related planning and development;

To undertake capacity-building work with indigenous

and local communities in order to facilitate their active

participation, at all levels of the tourism development

process, including transparent decision-making and

sharing of benefits, and to create awareness 0f the

social, economic and environmental costs and

benefits thatthey are bearing;

To create the appropriate institutional, legal

economic, social and environmental framework by

developing and applying a mix of instruments, as

appropriate, such as integrated land-use planning

and c0astal z0ne management, ec0n0mic

instruments, social and environmental impact

assessment for tourist facilities, including gender

aspects, and voluntary initiatives and agreements;

To maximise the potential of tourism for eradicating

poverty by developing appropriate strategies in c0-

operation with all major groups, and indigenous and

local communities;

To welcome the major gr0up's agreement t0 promote

sustainable t0urism development through music, art

and drama and to participate in such educational

activities;

To facilitate destination-specific in-f light educationalvideos and other materials on sustainable

development in relation to tourism, and to encourage

airline carriers to routinely screen such videos on all

international and long-haul domestic routes;

To promoie a favourable framework for small and

medium-sized enterprises, the major engine for job

creation in the tourism sector, by reducing

administrative burdens, facilitating access t0

capital and providing training in management and

other skills, in recognition of the employment

potential of sustainable tou rism development;

(j) To take strong and appropriate action, through thedevelopment and enforcement of specific

legislation/measure, against any kind of illegal,

abusive or exploitative tourist activity, including

sexual exploitation/abuse, in recognition ofthe fact

that such activities have particularly adverse

impacts and pose significant social, health and

cultural threats, and that all countries have a role to

play in the efforts to stamp them out;

(k) To participate

ininternational and regional

0r0cesses that address issues relevant to

sustainable tourism develooment: to consider the

ratification or adoption, and promote the

i m plementation and enforcement, as appr0p riate,

of standards or g uideli nes relevant to the travel and

tourism industry, such as in the labour and health

f ields; and to supp0ft initiatives, especially through

organizations like the International Labour

Organization and the World Health Organization,

that would make an early and positive contribution

to sustainable tourism develooment:

(l) To support appropriate measures to better inform

tourists about cultural, ecological and other values

arrd provide accurate information on the safety of

tourist destinations, so as to enable consumers t0

make informed choices:

3. Calls uponlhelourism industry:

(a)To

develop environmentally, socially and culturallycompatible forms of tourism and to continue the

development and implementation of voluntary

initiatives in support of sustainable t0urism

development, bearing in mind that such forms of

tourism and initiatives should meet, or preferably

exceed, relevant local, national, regional or

international standards:

(b) To f urther commit itself to the goal of sustainable

t0urism development by working towards guiding

principles and objectives for sustainable tourismdevelopment and information f0r t0urists on

ecological and cultural values in destination

reg r0ns;

(c) To further develop voluntary eco-efficiency and

appropriate management systems to save costs

and to p romote sustainable f orms of tou rism;

(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)

(s)

(h)

AN Letter Vol 7 No 1 November 2000



Tourism lssues - Internalional

(d) To take effective steps to reduce the volume of waste

associated with travel and tourism activities;

(e) To design with nature' in collaboration with planning

authorities, by using low impact designs, materials

and technologies, so as n0t to damage the

environmental or cultural assets that tourists seek to

experience and that sustain the local community, and

to undertake measures t0 restore tourist destinations

with degraded environments;

(f) To distance itself publicly from illegal, abusive or

exploitive forms of tourism;

(g) To meet or preferably exceed relevant national or

international labour standards;

4. lnvites, as appropriate, governments and major groups, as

well as the Unjted Nations system, in close collaboration

with the World Tourism 0rganization, while building on

relevant work carried out by the United Nati0ns

Environment Programme, the United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural 0rganization, the United Nations

Conference on Trade and Develooment. the International

Labour 0rganization and the United Nations Development

Programme and under the Convention on Biological

Diversity and other relevant conventions and organizations,

and taking note of the Programme of Action for theSustainable Development of Small lsland Developing

States," adopted at Barbados in 1994, to consider

undertaking the following jnitiatives and to keep the

Commission on Sustainable Development informed on

progress achieved:

(a) To promote sustainabie tourism development in order

to increase the benefits from the tourism resources for

the oooulation in the host communities and maintain

the cultural and environmental integrity of the host

community; to encourage cooperation of majorgroups at all levels with a view to facilitating Local

Agenda 21 initiatives and promoting linkages within

the local economy in order that benef its may be more

widely shared; to this end, greater efforts should be

undertaken forthe employment of the local workforce,

and the use of local products and skills;

(b) To suppoft national efforts by countries, especially

developing countries and countries with economies in

transition, and major groups towards sustainable

t0urism development through relevant capacity-building activities and programmes as well as

multilateral and bilateral financial and technical

assistance, and appropriate technologies in all

aspects of sustainable tourism development,

including environmental impact assessment and

management and ed ucation in the f ield of to u rism,

To encourage more responsible behaviour among

tourists through ensuring respect for national

laws, cultural values, social norms and tradition as

well as by increasing public awareness, in addition

to other measures;

To promote the application of integrated planning

approaches to tourism development at the local

level, including through encouraging the use of

Local Agenda 21 as a process for planning,

implementing and monitoring sustainable tourism

development and recognizing the potential for

integratlon of Local Agenda 21 with Agenda 21 for

the Travel and Tourism Industrv as well as other

such initiatives;

To provide relevant direction on research activities,

and collect and disseminate information on best

practices and techniques, including an appropriate

mix of instruments to minimize negative and to

pr0mote positive environmental, social and

cultural impacts from tourism in developed and

developing countries and in countries with

economies in transition;

To promote the exchange of informatron on

transportation, accommodation and otherservices. public awareness raising pr0grammes

and education, and various voluntary initiatives

and ways to minimize the effects or natural

disasters on tourism Possible forms of thisjnformation exchange should be explored in

consultation with relevant partners, utilizing, inter

alia, such means as bilateral and multi-lateral

arrangements;

To undeftake studies on appropriate measures forpromoting sustainable t0urism development, such

as community planning in fragile ecosystems,

including in coastal areas, and to develop tools to

assist local authorities in determining appropriate

management regimes and their capacity for

tourism develooment:

To further develop or support integrated injtiatives,

preferably through pilot projects, to enhance the

diffusion of innovations and to avoid, whereverpossible, duplication and waste of resources;

To undertake activities that would be suooortive of

the 0re0arati0ns for both the International Year of

(c)

(d)

(s)

(h)

(f)

(i)

3 Rep0rtoftheGlobalCon{erenceontheSustainableDevel0pmenl0fSmalllslandDeveloprngStates,Bridgetown,Barbados,25April-61\4ay1994(UnitedNations

publicati0n, Sales No E 94 | 18 and corrigenda), chap l, resoluti0n 1, annex ll

ANLetter Vol 7 No I November l00O



Tourism lssues - Internalional

Ecotourism and the International Year of Mountains,

as well as activities of the International Coral Reef

Initiative;

To clarify further the c0ncepts of sustainable t0urism

and ecotourism:

To develoo core rndicators for sustainable tourism

development, taking into account the work of the

World Tourism 0rganization and other relevant corganizations, as well as the 0ngoing testing phase of

indicators for sustainable develooment:

To undertake a comprehensive survey and

assessment of the results of implementing existing

voluntary initiatives and guidelines relating to the

economic, sociocultural and environmental

sustainability of tourism, to be reported to the

Commission on Sustainable Development in order to

identify best practices with respect to raising

awareness of sustainable tourism develooment:

(m) To consider establishing a global network, taking into

account the work of the World Tourism 0rganization,

regional mechanisms. and all major groups, as

appropriate, to promote an exchange of information

and views on sustainable tourism development,including on ecotourism;

(n) To cooperate with the United Nations Environment

Programme in further developing guiding principles

for sustainable tou rism develooment:

(o) To encourage business and industry t0 take steps to

implement eco-efficiency approaches, in order to

reduce environmental impacts associated with

travel and t0urism activities, in particular the

volume of packaging waste, especially in small

island developing states;

lnvites lhe World Tourism 0rganization to considerinformed major groups' participation, as appropriate, in

the development, implementation and monitoring of its

Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, including those

provisions relating to a code of conductfortourists;

I nvi t e s relev ant agencies, particularly the I nternational

Maritime 0rganization, to evaluate whether existing

regulations on marine pollution and compliance with

them are sufficient to provide adequate protection to

fragile coastal zones from adverse impacts as a result ol

tourist vessel activities;

lnviteslhe Conference of the Parties to the Convention

on Biological Diversityto further consider, in the context

of the process of the exchange of experiences, existing

knowledge and best practice on sustainable tourism

development and biological diversity with a view to

contributing to international guidelines for activities

related to sustainable t0urism develooment in

vulnerable terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems

and habitats of major impoftance for biological diversity

and protected areas, including fragile mountain

ecosystems,

Welcones the work of major gr0ups, especially the

business community, trade and t0urism industry

associations, non-governmental organizations and

other groups involved in travel and tourism, to

contribute to efforls to achieve sustainable t0urism

development, including through educational initiatives

and action plans based on Agenda 21 and other related

documents, and particularly welcomes theirc0mmitment through the continuation of their work with

all major groups, to do more, and to report to the

Commission on Sustainable Develooment on therr

p r0g ress,

9. lnvites lie United Nations Secretariat and the World

Tourism 0rganization, in consultation with major groups

and other relevant international organizations, to jointly

facilitate the establishment of an ad hoc informal ooen-ended working group on tourism to assess financial

leakages and determine how to maximize benefits for

indigenous and local communities; and to prepare a joint

initiative to improve information availability and

capacity-building for pafticipation, and address other

matters relevant to the imolementation of the

international work programme on sustainable tourism

develooment

u)

(k)

o

..i,'i.1, .

:.,,:a'



Tourism lssues - Inlernational

Iourism indu$try serucd climate waming

recent report b1t the lfttrld Wide FundJbr Nalttre Wf'l/F) has w'arned that fitture tourism

activity will be aflected due lo drctstic climate c'hanges that are erpected. The report says that it is

the island countries with their long coastline sen,sitive tourism industries, and sntall, undeveloped

economies (among them are some of the |{orth's ./avourite tourist destinations) will be the.first

among the c'asualties. It erhorts the tourisn industt"l.- to persuade we.glern indu,strialised

governments to lake more concerled action to reduce pollution.

The World Wide Fund For Nature has loined a long list of

environmental groups and scientists predicting that the

international tourist industry could face serious financial threats

from climate change. A new report released on Sunday by the

World Wide Fund For Nature's (WWF) Climate Change Campaign

says droughts, rising seas, flash floods, forest fires and diseases

could turn profitable destinations into holiday horror stories

The report, 'Climate Change and its lmpacts on Tourism', was

commissioned from the University of East Anglia's Climatic

Research Unit, one of the world's leading research centres on

climate change lt analyses the potential impact of increasing

global temperatures on ten of the world's favourite tourist

desti nations.

The report urges the tourist industry to persuade western

industrialised governments to take more concerted action to

reduce their nati0ns' carbon dioxide emissions - the main cause

of global warming.

Dr. Ute Colliel WWF's UK-based expert on climate change said,

People love their holidays and want to feel comfortable. But our

favourite destinations may soon be too hot for comfort " The

report says that more f requent periods of extreme heat will cause

discomfort in many eastern Mediterranean resorts, where the

number of days above 40 degrees centigrade is expected to

I n c rease

But researchers at the US Geological Survev released a study in

January 1 999 that found no evidence that increases in flood or

drought damage are due to drastic changes in weather patterns.

In a survey of 395 streams across the US, going back to 1914,

the scientists found streams are carrying m0re water 0n average,

but there is "no signal of a trend toward increased flooding."

Climate models used by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change, thousands of scientists worldwide who advise

governments on climate change, project that the Eadh will

warm by two to six degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100 if

emissions that traD the sun's heat are not reduced. Evldence

suggeststhatthe shorterwinters; longer, driersummers; and

increased f requency of f looding, winter thaws, and summer

droughts will be associated with global warming.

As far back as July 1997, an analysis of the economic impact

of global climate change on 184 countries indicates that

AN Letter l0 Vol 7 No I November 2000



Toulism lssues - International

some countries will win while others lose - by billions of dollars

per year. University of lllinois atmospheric scientist Michael

Schlesinger concluded the countries that would suffer the most

from global warming are island nati0ns. 'These countries have

long coastlines, sensitive t0urism industries and small,

undeveloped economies," Schlesingersard

The new WWF repoft says that climate change is also expected to

increase the risk of illness in several parts of the world leading to

a falling-off of tourism. A decline in cloud cover in Australia will

increase exposure to the sun's harmf ul rays Malaria is likely to

re-emerge in Spain

Popular small island states, such as the Maldives in the Indian

0cean, will be particularly vulnerable to sea level rise.

Tiny low-lying Caribbean islands, with economies based

primarily on ag ricu ltu re and tou rism, are extremely vu Inerable to

the impacts of potential global warming, Dr. Bhawan Singh,

University of Montreal said in November of 1998. Dr. Singh was

reporting on the activities of two joint Eafthwatch/UNESC0

teams who catalogued, measured, and analyzed suspected

impacts of global warming and sea-level rise on Trinidad and

Tobago. The research established a baseline against which future

changes can be measured to inform policymakers about

adapting to global warming.

Sea-level rise may also be of particular concern for Florida since

many tourist activities are concentrated along the state's coasts,

beaches and islands.

Wintertourism may also be affected, as the Alps and other skiing

destinations experience less snowfall and shorter skiing

seasons. These impacts will be especrally pronounced in lower-

lying ski resorts, and where commercial ventures are already

marginal, such as the Scottish Highlands.

Yet some scientists are not convinced that global warming is

causing glaciers to retreat and the resulting melt water causing

sea levels rise. According to John Carlisle of the National Center

for Public Policy Research, glaciers are subject to many

inf luences which scientists don't fully grasp. Mountain glaciers

are especially tricky d ue to the "com plex topog raphy of mou ntain

areas.' Carlisle quotes Alaska Geophysical Institute glaciologist

Keith Echelmeyer as saying,"to make a case that glaciers are

retreating, and thatthe problem is global warming, is very hard to

do ... The physics are very complex. There is much more involved

than just the climate response."

Many Alaskan glaciers, for example, are advancing in the same

areas that others are retreating. Switzerland has experienced

mild winters, warmer summers, and less precipitation over

the last decade, yet many of its glaciers have advanced during

this time.

ln Seotember 1997. the Environmental Defense Fund

repofted 0n the potential impacts of global warming on

t0urism in the White Mountains region of New England. The

repoft, "Seasons of Change: Global Warming and New

England's White Mountains, based in paft on scientific data

published by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change (IPCC), found there is a substantial risk of disruption

of the fallfoliage season, declines in maple syrup production,

a shortened ski season, a dramatic decrease in trout habitat,

and changes i n the prod uctivity of the tim ber ind ustry.

The White Mountains region is at risk of disruptive changes

as a result of global warming,' said Dr. Janine Bloomfield,

EDF scientist and author of the reoort "The economic

impoftance of the White Mountains relies in large paft on the

persistence of historical climate patterns, which are poised to

change substantially over the next century unless action is

taken to slow global warming now,"she said.

Global warming is expected t0 cause a substantial reduction

in the duration of winter snow cover in Australia, according to

the government's Second National Repoft under the United

Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change released

in November of 1997. Possible effects on the tourism

industry in alpine regions are being studied.

"The tourism industry could be faced with huge costs as

global warming begins to influence decisions about when

and where people are going t0 go on holiday, WWF's Dr.

Collier warned. "We must see real action from governments

to confrontthe problem ofglobal climate change."

But according to a 1997 survey of 36 state climatologists

commissioned by the Washington, DC based Citizens for a

Sound Economy Foundation, most of them believe global

warming "is a largely natural phenomenon,' s0 reducing

greenhouse gas emissions would not affect it.

Still, the WWF says the tourism industry itself contributes to

climate change. Air travel is the fastest growing source of

greenhouse gas emissions that increase the risk of continued

global warming, the WWF study found. From 594 million

international travelers in 1 996, numbers are forecast to leap

to 702 million by next year, 1 ,018 million by 2010 and 1 ,600

million in 2020.

This report is reproduced from the Internet




The government should put stricter regulation in place : Jose Dominic

-J he interests oJ' the tourism industry and

conservation of nature have always seemed to be

in conJlict with each other. Jose Dominic oJ the

Casino Group oJ Hotels speaks on conser,-ation,

the role of the industryt and the government, and

the ne e d.fo r s trict er c on,e e rv ati on re g ul ati o ns.

What would be the incentive lot lhe tourism industy to

participab in the proress of conservation of lhe

environment" sine, as lou have said, proftt is fie only

motive tor lhe indusfl?

Yes, profit is the long-term motive, (and it has t0 be

sustained profits), for which, conservation is most

important. There is profit in conservation, profit in a

pristine environment. The industry would be loolish to

think otherwise, if you look at a long-term situation.

Therefore it is imperative that the industry and thegovernment put that at the forefront. Conservation of

resources is the very bedrock on which any policy must

rest, whether it is conservation of the natural environment,

or the cultural heritage Soon industry and government will

realise that everything else can be created or developed, but

not the inherent attractions of a place. Where will the

money come from? The money will come from the

government, first and foremost when the government

realises that they would rather spend it on conservation

than on creating more and more facilities when other

money is alreadyavailable There is no longerany necessityfor budgets for tourism to be spent on facilities, which are

of a commercial nature. So you can replace one investment

by the other. And industry too will come in to support

conservation, will happily contribute to local initiatives, in

its own limited sense. But more than money, it is regulatory

action that is needed, so that when investment does take

place, it does not contradict the authenticity or quality of

the inherent attractiveness of a desti nation.

Are you saying thatthe hasic premise is thatlhere is aregulafury mechanism hy lhe governnent, and the

industy would participaE by adheilng to hercgulations?

Yes, in fact one of the representations by the tourism

industry, the hotel industry in Kerala, to the governmenthas been to put in place a strict regulatory mechanism,

which will protect the resources on which tourism is

built upon. lt has asked that building regulations in

particular tourism areas, for example height restrictions

in backwater regions, and certain other rules in the hill

regions be in place, going by the experience of other

destinations. Today when tourism is begrnning, we have

choices before it is too late. Industry needs, industry has

asked for, and there is now a participative process where

regulations are being introduced, especially on

environmental protection.

Is lhis not mntadicfrry? Is rl rb frlere are some

fundanenhl regulabry provisions, like the CBZ

Euidelines, Environment PrcEction Ae't, and WiltllileProEetion Auidelines. In a lot of situations. we tind

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Indigenous people, Wildlife Tourism and Ecotourism

Ecotourism literature f requently reminds us of potential

successes, with discussions usually focusing upon the

ecological benefits to be experienced when nature reserves are

established and protected by ethically minded public and private

bodies. The World Resources Institute suggests that, Although

some 7,000 protected areas exist throughout the world,

comparatively few enjoy de facto protection, and most of those in

developing countries that do, can attribute their survival to the

revenue they earn from tourism (Warner 1989:18). When

properly regulated by (inter) national law or market incentives,

ecotourism is said to yield several benefits: long-term

sustainable resource conservation, the provision of a more

environmentally and socially acceptable form of development

(than agribusiness or heavy industry), the mobilization of

employment and empowerment of local peoples, the creation of

arenas for greater public-private cooperation, the estabilshment

of a local pride in natural resources, the formation of local and

global environmentalist constituencies, and lastly, opportunities

for environmental education and scientific research (Kusler

1991 :viii-3; Boo 1990;Wood in Kuslerl991'.75-77).

After her research excursion to the highly profitable and privately

owned Rara Avis ecotourist reserve in Costa Rica, Tensie Whelan

issued these words of supporl: "Over and over again, I saw small

chunks of the environment being saved by people who had an

economic interest in doing so, whether it was villagers saving

rain forest habitat in order to raise iguanas for sale, or private

individuals preserving and maintaining virgin rain forest as anattraction for tourists lf we are t0 save any of our precious

environment, we must provide oeoole with alternatives to

destruction' (Whelan 1991 :3). Whelan voices a typical concern

for the need to find sustainable methods of environmental

protection immediately within the context of global competition

and markets. In this free-market environmentalism the burden

lies upon both governments and conservationist NG0s to

provide planning, market incentives, and regulation of

development, while the benevolence of industry is unquestioned,

Well-intentioned, innovative, and enterprising individuals or

corporations, prompted and enabled by government policy, arethe harbingers of a new and just environmental world order.

Here, capitalist modes of production and market dynamics are

assumed to be necessary and beneficent, and any c0ntradiction

between sustainability and capitalism may be resolved via proper

management and ethics (Escobar 1995:193-195). This liberal

environmentalism is praised by its proponents as a moment of

great refusal of the death of nature, when ecological

sustainability will be neglected no longer, and when we realize a

democratic and green global political economy. This new eco-

Keynesianism reads like a logic in which markets are opened by

moral bodies concerned with public good, and any rupture in the

body of global capital that is caused by crises of environmental

(and economic) sustainability is sutured by strategic regulation.

However, these authors also acknowledge the problems

associated with ecotourism: "Conservationists have found that

1 . Kraig Lind berg is Di rector o'f the Wold Resources I nstitute's study of natu re t0urism (1 991 )

tourism is a double-

edged sword -- able

to save the day if

skillfully wielded, but

liable to cut one's leg

off it handledcarelessly" (Glick

1991:72). Many

nave expresse0concern with the

minimalenvironmentalprotection practiced

at some of the world's largest and most popular ecotourist

sites and nature reserves. Although ecotourism represents a

less destructive development alternative to mining,

agriculture, ranching, or forestry, if uncontrolled, a growing

ecotourism industry could threaten wildlife, cause erosion,

as wellas intensify pollution and overcrowding --business as

usual (Kusler 1991:viii) 0ne analyst outlined three primary

problems in ecotourist developments: most ecological areas

are t00 inaccessible or unappealing t0 attract tourists or

support development, thus making many areas unqualified

for the conservation that ecotourism does offer, and

subjecting developed sites to greater tourist influx;

unrestricted use of ecotourism sites will lead to overuse and

the destruction of natural areas and indeed the ecotourist

industry itself , which requires pristine nature for itsprofitability; and, the host countries have been unable to

appropriate enough revenue to regulate tourism and

maintain the nature preserves (Lindberg 1 991:9).'

Taken together these problems increase environmental

damage through litter, accidents, deforestation, excessive

infrastructure, disruption of wildlife, increased waste

problems, congestion, noise pollution, aesthetic blight, as

well as the cultural disruption of local peoples (Warner

1 989:1 8,20; Lindberg 1 991 :9; Boo 1 990: xv). And, although

these problems could threaten the economic viability ofecotourist ventures, the shorlsightedness of competitive

capital could cause these problems to go unanswered in

favor of reaping large profits in one of the world's fastest

growing industries. One can begin to recognize the

contradictory impulses in ecotourism planning, as it

supports profit as a means to environmental protection

within a political-economic structure that supports

environ mental orotection as a means t0 orof it. even at the risk

of destroying that profitability.

Indeed, the greatest threat to natural preserves and the

sustainability of ecotourism is the increasing influx of

ecotourists, especially when accompanied by local or

national incentives for tourist exchange, which facilitates

greater infrastructure development and less regulation on

tourist access and behavior. Further, the sensitivitv ol

ANLetter 14 Vol 7 No 1 November 2000



Indigenous people, Wildlile Tourism and Ecotourism

tou rists to the goals 0f preservation is certain ly jeopardized when

the tourist industry, in the attempt to reduce costs, sacrifices

spending on both tourist education and enforcement of

regulations on tourist behavior.' These problems are magnified

in underdeveloped countries. The ability of local or national

governments to mitigate these problems by regulating t0urism

through taxation, education, entry fees, and limiting capacity isstifled by either the expropriation of financial resources by

private interests in overdeveloped countries, or the inadequate

planning of ecotour operators (predominantly Western) who

have no competent knowledge or cultural investment in the areas

they use. Nations and cultures of the periphery find themselves

in compromised positions, negotiating the need to attractforeign

investment for austerity and the desire to maintain

cultural/natural heritages, which itself is a negotiation of local

class and ethnic conf licts regarding development policy. Thus,

ecotourism appears, and

indeed may be, a more viableoption for economicdevelopment thanagribusiness or export-oriented industrialization, yet

the extraction of profit, forced

underdevelopment, and the

destruction of cultural/natural

heritage may continuerelatively unchanged as

centuries of (neo) colonial

development have left many nations with little power t0 regulate

new liberal forms of suoerexoloitation.

This has noticeable effects in several countries, including Costa

Rica which has not changed its ecotourism spending in ten years

despite growing numbers of tourists, and in Kenya, only 2.3

percent of the 300 million dollars earned by its national parks

each year return to the people 0r government cf Kenya (Whelan'1

991 :1 1 ) Parks throughout underdeveloped countries charge

extremely low fees to foreign tourists, and are often unable to

invest the revenues in maintenance and preservation, the

assessment of environmental impacts, the hiring and training of

personnel, tourist education materials, the planning of carrying

capacities, or regulatory boards or agencies (Whelan 1991:11-

14; Boo 1990:xv-xvii). The conditions of dependency and debt

disable governments and national firms from preserving their

own natural and cultural traditions, thus enabling further natural

and cultural despoliation by Nofihern enterprises, displaying the

addicting and self-reproducing character of capital investment.

Although many private tour 0perators are praised for their vested

interest in environmental protection, those surveyed in the WorldWildlife Fund study were based predominantly in overdeveloped

countries, with little direct attachment to the environments f rom

which they profited (Boo 1990:xvi) They rarely have provided

the park systems, or their destination countries, with

preservati0n supp0ft, and many park managers surveyed

throughout global ecotourist sites stated that the 0perators

took the parks for granted (Boo 1 990:xvi; Cater and Lowman

1994:4). Although the ecotourism industry is growing

rapidly, it is notyet making substantial oreven clearly positive

contributions to nature conservation' (Kermath 1991:408)In spite of the optimistic predictions, many have concluded

that the dangers of ecotourism are m0re momentous than

was first recognized (Butler 1991:201; Whelan 1991:4;

Kusler 1991) Thus, if ecotourism is not managed

successfully, through stronger regulation, higher entrance

fees, limits on infrastructure and tourist influx, and a

redistribution of profits t0 the local populations, all oJ its

ootential environmental and economic benefits will fail to be

achieved, and colonization of the natural sphere could

continue in the gaze of ecotourist developers and their

c0nsumers But, even this logic is misleading, because thedifficulties of ecotourism do not rest in the lack of knowledge

or technologies of development (indigenous or imported),

but in the global strategies of underdevelopment and

environmental destruction that have been the modus

operandi of merchant, monopoly, and now late capitalism.

Joan Giannecchini summarizes this critique well by stating

that ecotourism is not merely a new form of the travel

industry sympathetic to the environment, but rather it is a

"powerful marketing device currently being employed to

develop and sell an aspect of speciality travel. Conservation

ideals, including sustainable use of resources and

development, are shared only in paft by the tour industry.

Their customary goal of quick optimum profits is in direct

conflict with long-range goals of protection and

conservation.... Therefore, if the tourist industry becomes

the principal force in the development of ecotourism, it will

almost certainly be detrimental to long-range environmental

c0ncerns" (Giannecchini 1993:430). And predictably, the

primary actors in this global arena are indeed members of the

tourist industries of core nations with the support of

dependent national governments of the periphery, who, in an

anguished alliance based on long lasting political-economic

impositions, could stand to gain from higher employment,

better infrastructure, less export-oriented production, and

greater local and national political empowerment in general.

Thus, the alliances Cardoso and Faletto theorized as the basis

for international relations of dependent development (those

between transnational capital, a local bourgeoisie, and

entrepreneurial factions of the nation-state) may be

witnessed to be a central mechanism for the emergence and

maintenance of ecotourism as well (Cardoso and Faletto

1 979; So 1 990: 1 51 ).

Here, a distinctly liberal and postmodern Western

development agenda can be traced to its neocolonial

2 Forexample,YellowstoneNational Parkandecosystemsufferfromtheimpact0f touristswhotramplevegetati0n, litter,p0llutewater,startf0restfires,poachand

introduceexoticspecies,disturbwildlilebehaviourpatterns,andevenirreparablyhavecausedtheMinuteandEbonygeysersto ceaseeruptingbytossinglitterintheir

mouths (Glick 1 991 :65-66)




lndigenous people, Wildlife Tourism and Ecolourisrn

precursors in expansionist monopoly capital, in which l0cal

cultures and survival needs of Third World (sub) regions are

substituted with large-scale, export-oriented development. In

today's global formation, a more fleet-footed corporate mobility

places states at greater risk of fiscal crises. Legitimate state

authority to regulate the destructive effects of growth has been

evaporating, creating a global 'race to the bottom" or'downward

leveling" in which governments are pitted in a competition to

offer the most favorable "business climate" for investment

(Brecher and Costello 1994:4-5; Faber and O'Connor 1993:22:

Fisher 1993:4). As a development strategy, ecotourism is similar

to export-oriented models insofar as foreign investment for

luxury services, i.e., the accompanying tourist industry, is

encouraged through ecotourism, with the attendant distortions

of local investment and exoloitative divisions of labor. Here. the

exDons are not commodities such as

electronics or textiles, but instead nature,

c0nstructed by a labor-intensive service

industry and the work of prrmarily urban

workers who play the role of native guides,

maids, custodians, cooks, waiters, and bus

d rivers.

The nature tourism site is similar to exoort-

processing zones for commodities, as they

are subsidized greatly by nationalgovernments, are often foreign-owned and

managed, entail labor intensive production for low wages, and

are primarily for the benefit of foreign exchange. Also, the labor

often entails performative displays oJ native or local authenticity,

revealing the source of value to be the natural and human image

of the "primitive." The export-oriented methods of capitalist

underdevelopment may be seen to have new forms, impacted

less by industry and agribusiness, and more by tourism and a

Western market of leisure consumerism, in which orientalism

(with its varied regional effects) defines the moment oJ value

extraction. Made possible by globalizing cultures, media,

communications, and transport, ecotourism may be read as a

niche market that markets niches, a newglobalizing

momentoJ

late capitalist consumer economy

Nowhere is this more noticeable -- yet rarely discussed -- than ln

the ecotourist planning literature itselJ, where nature is

interpellated in a discourse of rationality as an object, a resource,

a legal restraint, a factor in cost-benefit analyses, a product, rates

and ratios, or a marginal value. This treatment oi nature is not

new: "The scientific revolution in Europe transformed nature

from terra mater into a machine and a source of raw material;

with this transformation it removed all ethical and cognitive

constraints against its violation and exploitation. The industrialrevolution converted economics from the prudent management

of resources for sustenance and basic needs satisfaction into a

process of commodrty productlon for profit maximization"

(Shiva 1989:xvii). lt is certain that classical economics and

Enlightenment science did a disservice to global ecological

sustainability by externalizing or rationalizing nature, and

thereby marginalizing environmental health from economic

agendas. And despite the modernlst myths of historical

progress, today it is uncertain that ecotourism, or sustainable

development in general, has succeeded in enabling more

sustainable social-natural relations.

Indeed, for eco-modernizationists such as Jacobs (1990),

Pearce (et al 'l 990), and Gore (1 992), nature has become so

much a part of our purposive-rational institutions of

marketing, res0urce management, and consumption, that its

w0rth as a condition of , and not resource for, social

fulfillment appears poorly understood. In much sustainable

development literature, sustarnability appears to be either a

newly realized limitation to the circuits of overproduction and

over consumption that is to be integrated for the survival of

global capital (Jacobs 1990: 6-15), or a sliding signifier

whose purpose is to grant greater

exchange value in various capital

, marketplaces where eco -- and green

: have become icons of security, health,'and harmony -- legitimating Northern

development projects.

Travel marketers view ecotourism as an

opportunity for growth and

diversification in a comoetitive tourist

market, revealing ecotourism as an end

product for profit, rather than a means

t0 the preservation of Third World cultures and nature: "The

most imoortant factor to remember as a conservation

organization is that when you stafi approaching the tourist

market, business is business or y0u are out" (Bezaury-Creel

1 991 :1 09-1 1 0, 1 1 4). Sustainable development discourse in

general, and ecotourism more specifically, appears to be a

means by which global capital can, at once, appear t0

accommodate growing environmental crises, while

reformulating public discourse on sustainability to maintain

legitimacy for development as usual. As profit outweighs

protection, the sustainability of nature is rewritten as the

sustainability of capital; theprotecti0n

of natureis

inverted tobe the protection of profits; and the morality of democratic

multigenerational planning is transmogrified into the pursuit

of competitive advantage in the f ree market of nature. This is

evident in the ways in which conservation organizations such

as the World Wildlife Fund, the Sierra Club, and the National

Audubon Society increasingly have become marginalized in

international ecotourism development by having their role in

planning reduced to mere advisory or consultant functions.

This marginalization has occurred despite the relatively

minor opposition to global structures of capital that these

particular organizations have mobilized. At a tourismconference at George Washington University, Giannecchini

reports that this lesser role was not only assumed, but

accepted: 'it appeared tacitly understood among these

groups that policies and regulations concerning ecotourism,

from carrying capacities to sustainable development, would

be determined between the tourist industry and government

Conservationists were cast in the role of altruistic and cost-




free sheoherds of the resources that would insure ecotourism

profits. More noteworthy, perhaps, was that the conservati0nists

seemed to accept this role willingly. They continue to perceive

themselves, and be perceived by other professionals, as

consultants" (1993:430). Conservation organizations find

themselves squeezed out of planning and regulation, and will be

forced to compete with other NG0s, a three-trillion-dollartourism industry, and even national governments for the world's

most fragile ecosystems, as well as the environmentalist

sentiments of tourists themselves (p. 430).

But the contradictions between profit and sustainability express

themselves in a second complex of contradicti0ns f0r

ecotourism This set of conflicts is typical of post-industrial and

consumer markets; the conflicts between the homogenized

spectacle of wild nature and the biodiversity and cultural

diversity required for more democratic social-natural relations.

Touring Eden

Ecotourism is a burgeoning business, thanks to increased

marketing efforts and the growing interests 0f consumers,

predominantly from the overdeveloped nations of Europe, North

America, as well as Japan (Whelan 1991: 5). As a growrng

preoccupation throughout the world, the ecotourist vacation

thus has been the point of realization for expanding profits.

However, as is typical of export-oriented development, the

profrts from ecotourist endeavors are often expropriated mostly

by travel agents (who claim ten percent), followed by non-profits, NGOs, and advertising, outbound tour operators

(airlines, ground operations), inbound tour operators

(accommodations, transport, environment interpretation), and

lastly, the local government and residents of the tour destination

(Ryel and Grasse 1991 :36-38). Thus, as would be expected, the

flourishing ecotourism industry has benefited travel agencies

and tour 0perators of overdeveloped countries significantly

more than the local govern ments and peoples of the South.

Key to the lndustry's activity is attracting ecotourists through the

development of exciting and interesting sites. Tour developersand operators state thattourist demand increases when the area

is attractive, when transport is comfortable and accessible, when

lodging and food are provided, and when tourists feel protected

from wildliJe, disease, and local politicalturmoil (Kusler 1991:5).

The attraction of spectacular wildness reveals what liberal-

minded ecotour oromoters know well: the ecotourist does not

necessarily exist previous to ecotourism marketing, but indeed

can be manufactured or seduced'-- "the ecotourist must be

made as well as born (Ryel and Grasse 1991:169). The

message they relay to their potential consumers is colorful,

draws attention to a mood, establishes recognition, and, notunlike many other tourist advertisements, attempts to provide

Indigenous people, Wildlile Tourism and Ecolourism

the audience with "astounding facts about the destinations"

they offer, especially new, unique, and authentic experiences

(pp. 174) One ecotourist brochure from Venezuela offers

the consumer'spectacular wildlife, "incredible abundance,'

animals that are "normally difficult to observe," and "mind-

boggling'numbers of birds (pp.176-177). These tactics of

marketing nature through adventure, surprise, exhilaration,scarcity, and exotic Edenic scenes assist in spectacularizing

nature as a commodity, appropriating more generalized

interests in exhilarating consumption and nature as a place of

ecological reconnection.

Further, advertisements often include environmentalist

sentiments, which have a well-understood effect."Conscientious support of environmental causes almost

always enhances atravelcompany's image (Ryel and Grasse

1991:178) Seductive use of spectacle has become more

common because of the increasing stakes in a growingtourist market, and because ecotourist sites must appear

more attractive to counterbalance the poor development or

preservation of many sites throughout the world Thus,

altlrough ecotou rist marketing often provides the tools f or re-

envisioning sustainability, it simultaneously contributes to an

always already mediated culture in which nature is abstracted

from sustainable ecosystems, a means of aesthetic pleasure,

overconsumption of resources, and low ecological literacy(Suttle 1989:24)

But to fully evaluate the potential of nature t0urism, we mustlook both at the production of ecotourism, and at the

reception ecotourism's audience actively creates and makes

a part of the global culture of nature. Many ascribe the

reason fOr ecotourism growth to the ecotourist's desire to

escape the mundane, monotonous, and overstimulating

realms of urban and work life, and the consequent need to

find simplicity, beauty, and excitement (Giannecchini

1993:429-430; Lindberg

1991 : 1; Whelan 1991 :7)

Ecotourrsm has been more

successful because of thecharacter of Western popular

culture in general, which

includes attention to physical

fitness, environmental films

and news, and the growing

cultural capital of action and

adventure (Giannecchrni

1993:430-431). As Prosser

has argued, "One of the most

important characteristics ol

tourism is that it is. inessence, a fash ion i nd ustry' (Cater and Lowman 1 994'.22)

3 Tourismmarketinge{fortsbasetheirstrategiesonaprofileoftheaveragetourist,whotheysuggestisfromanoverdevelopedcountry,{ami/iarwjththe0utdoorsand

traveling, professi0nal or retired, relatively wealthy, college educated, and middle aged (Whelan 1 991 :5-6). The ecotourism industry has based its campaigns f0r greater

tourism on the med a with which pe0ple o{ this profile are most familiar, namely specialized and popular magazines like E lVagazine and Garbage, internationally

recognized organizations such as the Sierra Club, editorial or special story advefiising, travel brochures, and airline advefiisements (Ryel and Grasse 1 991 :1 72-1 74)

ANLetter 17 Vol 7 No I Norember 2000



Indigenous people, Wildlife Tourism and Ecolourism

Indeed, Richard Bangs oi Sobek Travel stated that, despite the

attention to ecological literacy,' people on ecotours"don't want to

spend their hard-earned money being lectured . [they are still]

on vacation' (Giannecchini 1993:43 1). 0ne researcher thus

suggested that ecotourism is bound to be problematic for long-

term sustainability or social justice, because it is situated within a

society dominated by leisure and alienating forms of work, which

causes ecotourists to zealously guard their leisure against tours

with 'meagei' accommodations 0r too much education (Butler

1 991:201 ). Turner and Ash's theory of the tourist experience

would confirm this, by concluding that tourism is successful

only when it has met the needs 0f the average tourist to live

luxuriously and to have one's leisure circumscribed by a vast

array of services, making travel agents and managers into

surrogate parents and relieving the tourist of any responsibility

(Urry 1990:7)

Prosser has gone so far as to posit an ecotour product-cycle in

which, like tiny resource, tourist sites are produced and

consumed through a sequential process of destination

discovery, development oJ tourist sites, the growth of demand,

maximal exploitation, decline of site attraction/val ue/competitive

advantage, and finally, obsolescence (in Cater and Lowman

1994:23). Overthe lasttwo decades, with increasing numbers of

tourists traveling to more remote locations like Antarctica -- the

'pleasure periphery' -- this obsolescence risks making many

environments and communities of the Third World into

disposable commodities (p. 25).

Despite the potential for oppositional readings of ecotourism, the

shift f rom modernist mass c0nsumDtion to "oost{ordist

consumption'sets the stage for hegemonic reception (Hall 1991;

Urry 1990:14).oThe specialized production of tour operations,

expanded transportation systems, global media, and the

continual cultivation of a popular imaginary around escape and

adventure reveal that firms and nation-states act simultaneously

to erode cultural and ecological sustainability (exporting

economic and ecological crises of their own), as they sell the

remaining ecosystems as scarce commodities for a greenconsumer market. This is accompanied by a dramatic expansion

of (neo/post) colonialism, in which the ambassador or invader

from the overdeveloped world is no longer only a merchant or a

multinational seeking resources and labor, but also a tourist

seeking t0 gaze at the differences of the natural and primitive

0ther. The overdeveloped world's subordination of nature and

the Third World citizen to instrumentalized logics of resource use

are now accompanied by consumer logics of nature and the

0ther as commodif ied spectacles of Western fantasy.

However, the National Audubon Society, possibly the Jirst topromote ecotourism on a wide scale, opposes this negative

mass culture reading of the ecotourist. Instead it envisions

ecotourists as 0otential environmental activists and

ambassadors for nature, who could bring ecological

consciousness to their home environments (Berle 1991:xi-

xii, Grotta 1991 :103-104). The society claims, against much

evidence to the contrary, that ecotourism developments

educate ecotourists about environmental issues through

their learning materials and knowledgeable guides andOperators, as well as continual training of ecotourists to

become more ecologically aware of their own environments

at home To promote this orientation to ecotourism, it has

composedthe NationalAudubon Society travel ethic, asking

that travelers be sustainable in their impacts on the natural

sites and cultures they visit (Whelan 199'l:'15 -'16; Kusler

1991 :xv). The optimism that ecotourists are receptive to the

struggles to maintain local and global sustainability, may be

confirmed paftially by the fact that some ecotourists are

researchers who explicitly desire to study and preserve the

nature and cultures they visit,' and who are comfortable withminimal provisions and accommodations, and with

envrronmental education (Colvin 1991:578). Fufther, these

arguments lor ecotourist activist state that this ecological

sensitivity is enhanced by the knowledge that many ecotour

sites are highly unique and endangered by forms of

destruction, creating compassion out of urgency (Kusler

1991:3).

Certainly no single type of tourist exists, but most tourism

discourse suggest that tourists seek pleasurable and out-of-

the-ordinary experiences, creating an inversion of everyday

life to escape normalrty, and come to terms with different

environments and cultures of their nation or globe (Urry

1990:3, 11; Combrink 1991). Tourism became more

c0mm0n during the early phases of the modern industrial

epoch, in which the prior forms of tourism (pilgrimage,

scholarly journey, or scientific research) became intertwined

with a distinctly modern disenchantment with one's work life,

creating the conception of work holidays (Urry 1990:2-3).

This view was popularized predominantly by romantic

movements of the late eighteenth and early nineteenthcenturies that gave rise to contemporary environmentalist

movements and ecotourism which glorify the imaginary

landscape ol nature as an alternative to the mechanized,

regulating, and alienating transition to urban industrialism-a

repudiation of modern development (pp. 20, 99) Gradually,

this anti-modern romanticism was articulated with the oost-

war consumer culture, in which this imaginary landscape

became a service, image, and commodity for a growing

middle class. Here, it could be argued that the processes of

framing and reproducing nature-sacralization,enshrinement, and simulation-are the battlegrounds of a war

of positron between the creation of an industry of nature and

the return to ideals of sustainable community and ecology.

4. This denotes a shift t0 a time when expenditure increases as a pr0p0rti0n of national inc0me; when credit systems facilitate greater demand; when the comm0dity f0rm

Dermeates all areas of social/environmental life; when there is planned obsolescence; and when c0nsumers dominate over producers (Hall 1 991 ; U rry 1 990:1 4)

5 Specific percentages are not available

ANLetter 18 Vol 7 No I November 2000



Indigenous people, Wildlife Tourism and Ecotourism

The ecotourist thus participates in the (re)establishment 0f an

identity of wellbeing, belonging, and righteousness that seems

ever more subject to structures of power that, as Marx so aptly

stated, melt everything into air. Not only have the formations of

capitalism subjugated many of the world's peoples to the laws of

production,exchange, and authoritarian regimes, but they have

assisted in rationalizing and f ragmenting the natural sphere in a

mediated simulacrum of commodity aesthetics. The

postmodern era, in which development appears to be reaching a

crescendo, has had the ability to destroy bonds of egalitarian

relations in communities, political bodies, and ecosystems

simultaneously, creating a widespread and varied sense of

alienation f rom both private and public institutions

The increasing popularity of environmental issues in Western

culture is both a cause and effect of this oostmodern oanic. lt is

possible that this is sublimated in the common culture of naturethat we seem to experience as healthy, fulfilling, diverse, and

comforting, such as the spaces of beaches, parks, suburban

pastoral landscapes, zoos, and even more subtle and mediated

forms such as house plants, pets, golf courses, and the many

products we can now purchase at nature stores, e.g , the Nature

Company or the Body Shop The rise in popularity of nature

films, naturalist fiction, and of course, ecotourism could also

express this problematic reconnection with nature that, however

subtle and however aestheticized, can provide a sense of

belonging in a world that is at risk of biological meltdown.

Thus, at the fin de millennium, ecotourism could represent the

longing for a return t0 the lost Eden or Arcadian scene, much like

the transcendentalists of the panicked lndustrial era at the close

of the nineteenth century, in which harmony was pristine and

original, uncontaminated by the ravages of modernization

According to Jim Chency, Ecological consciousness is the

consciousness of modernist alienation seeking reconnection

with that from which it has lost touch But it soeaks from

alienation and does not escape it (1989:319). Ecotourismprovides a predominantly Western professional class with

the opportunities to experience, for possibly the last time, the

nature that centuries of Western exoansion have been

succeeding in destroying The middle classes have the time

and resources to provide the basis for the consumption, the

urban planning, and the capital investments that ecotourism

requires. In this postnatural era, these members of the

overdeveloped world experience the ambiguity and

contradictions in desiring a resurgence of pristine

sustainable nature, and at the same m0ment, seeking this

fulfillment through institutions that have contributed to itsdestruction But the complex contradictions between prof it

and sustainability, and between reconnection and ecological

destruction also intersect with racial, class, and gendered

relations of power lnfluencrng another contradiction between

the ecotour aspirations for democratic auton0my of local

peoples and the exprop riati on of 0the rs as s0u rces of val ue.

This article, written byJoe Bandy, is a reproduction

f romPublic Culture, Vol Vlll No 3, Spring 1996

Joe Bandy is the Programme Coordinator of GIobal

Peace and Security Programme at the University of

Ca I iforni a, k nta Ba rba ra.

,t&*:

I

ir i:

:..il

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AN Letter Vol 7 No 1 November 2000



ECn - Extending the Peril

onstrltctiot't of super/ express highwavs has been a major ectivin,in the

developmental agenda undertaken by the cental and state governm.ents. The

East Coast Road (ECR) has invited a lot ol interest in the past because ofthe

dubious distinction of the nuntber of'violatictns that have occurred during and

a/ier irc construction. The sec'ond pha,se of the projec't is to start in the near

./itttu'e. We revi.sit what happened in Phase I and therca/ier, to antic'ipate w,hat

might happen in Phase II.

The Tamil Nadu government is all set to construct the second

phase of the East Coast Road (ECR) from Cuddalore toKaniyakumari. According to media reports, it has received

clearance from the central ministry to go ahead with the work on

this phase.

While the detailed plans, Environmental lmpact Assessments

reports, etc. are awaited for scrutiny, it is worth while t0 look into

the double speak of both the central and the state governments

as regards Phase I of the road. The conditionalities agreed upon

while giving sanction to the first phase are still not met. lt was by

agreeing to these conditionalities that the state government was

able to construct Phase I of the road from Chennai to Cuddalore.Instead of considering the factors that necessitated the

imposition of the conditionalities, the government, with its

political clout has been able t0 remove or nullify the same,

making mockery of the legal system.

ECR: In defiance oflhe laws ofthe nation

Ever since the highway was proposed, alarm was raised

about the imminent dangers involved in the construction of a

highway along the fragile coastal stretches. Thousands of

mature trees were cut and a number of villages uprooted in

the initial stage of construction its.elf. Both the media and

environmental groups had repeatedly drawn attention to

these incidents. These were in blatant violation of the

conditionalities of the Environmental Appraisal Committee of

the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) that was

agreed upon by the state government. The conditions that the

Tamil Nadu government agreed to were:

I That the tarred oortion of the road be reduced from

10 m to 7.5 m:





o That mature trees should not be felled while widening

the road;

I There shall be no fufther displacement of persons for

the purpose of road c0nstruction, those already

displaced should be adequately compensated and

rehabilitated;

I For the purpose of realignment there shall not be any

acquisition of home-stoad land;

o Avenue plantation shall be done all through the prolect;

I Adequate drainage shall be provided for rain water;

o There shall be no industrial or hotel construction

activities in future on the seaward side ofthe road,

o In Phase ll of the project (Cuddalore-Kanyakumari)

EIA reoort for all alternatives shall be submitted to the

Ministry. Land acquisition for Phase ll should be donein consultation with subgroup of the Environmental

Appraisal Committee; and

I The clearance is deemed to be ooerative atter issue of

a government order from the Government of Tamil

Nadu accepting the above conditions.

These conditions of 1994 were violated again, which forced the

MoEF to suspend the clearance in 1995, which the Tamil Nadu

government ignored till a courl order was issued in'1996. The

MoEF once again gave clearance, adding further conditions,

while stressing adherence to the earlier ones. 0ne significant

prerequisite among these was that the project is cleared as an

"other district road" (0DR) and not as a "national highway". The

intention of the Ministry was to discourage building of a highway

with huge embankments, massive culverts, and carriageways

with high load bearing capacity, which would have grave

environmental impacts

0f all these conditions the Tamil Nadu government saw the

condition n0.7, "there shall be no industrial or hotel construction

activities in future on the seaward side of the road", as mostdetrimental to their interest. There were tourism projects worth

800 crores awaiting clearance along this stretch, and by 1 997 the

government was looking for ways by which it could bypass these

conditions. Political interventions at the

level of the central ministry was the only

way Out of this, since the government

had agreed to abide by these conditions

in the High Court ol Chennai. An Expert

Committee was again set up, headed by a

retired Supreme Court Judge,lVlr. S

Natarajan, to look into the 'ecological

and geo-morphologic sensitivity of the

coastal stretch'. Modifications were then

bound to happen, given the political

clout of the state government and the

influence ofthe tourism industrv.

EGB and lhe Goaslal Zone Regulation

The constructions on the seaward side of the EC R are flagrant

violations of the CRZ notification, which requires that, in

areas classified as CRZ ll, no construction can take place on

the seaward side of an existing or proposed road. In mostcases, the violations (a mere 50 metres away from the High

Tide Line) are within the No Development Zone itself which

extends up to 200 metres, and is a zone in which, whereas no

constructions may take place.

In all this, the notion of protection of the coastal ecology has

been set aside, and the spirit of the Coastal Regulation Zone

notifications is lost. lt is clear that the development has taken

on anthropocentric leanings, and the concept of envlronment

for environment's sake and the larger relation it shares with

humanity as a whole, is lost, This total depafiure from any

environmental roots or philosophy is evident not just in the

case of the ECR, but in almost every aspect of the CRZ

notification and its current use and abuse.

With both minor and major violations, Phase I was

completed, and now Phase ll has been cleared, and awaits

commencement of work.

Development over life and ecology

To nullify the most important condition, one which does not

allow construction towards the seaward side of the road, the

Ministry of Environment and Forests has come up with a

letter, which modifies the conditions stipulated, thereby

according environmental clearancet0the ECR Phase I These

modifications, according to the ministry, are based on the

reoort of the Exoert Committee. This modification is done on

the single parameter that development is a priority, ignoring

each and every other aspect involved.

"Development projects in the area on the seaward side of East

Coast road which have requirement of ground water

exceeding 1 0 KLD (ten thousand liters per day) would require

clearance from the concerned state ground water agency.

The quantity of groundwater approved

for drawal (sic.) should be

incorporated in the consent issued by

the state pollution control board/ UT

pollution control committee and

strictly enforced. However in the

Coastal RegulationZone

(CRZ) the

provision of the CRZ notification of

February 1991 as amended from time

to time shall apply" (No.J-

21012/33192-lA-lll, Government ol

India, Ministry of Environment and

Forests dated March 22, 2000)

ANLetter Vol 7 No I November 2000




The problem of infrastructural development, in the

environmental context, is not only of the load placed on the

groundwater availability by a particular industrial or

infrastructural project. There are other related issues like the

environmental and social carrying capacity, the aesthetic value of

a region, the induced development that would spring up because

of large projects

Since the commissioning of Phase l, the entire stretch from

Chennai up to Muthukkadu is a built-up area today Holiday

houses, tourist and water sp0rt constructions, institutions,

industrial aquaculture farms, housing complexes, etc, 0ccupy

the seaward side of the coastal stretch, in blatant violation of the

conditions that the state government had agreed to when the

clearance was sought Studies have also proved ground water

depletion, which has resulted in saline water intrusion in this

region Even the CRZ notification, which the government n0wsays it will adhere to, has been violated in many places on this

stretch, where constructions extend uptothe HighTide Line The

Expert Committee, the Ministry of Environment and Forests and

the state government are n0t u naware of these aspects. Details of

these have been provided, in volumes, to the Expert Committee,

by the East Coast Road Action Committee when they conducted

their hearing. In the specific c0ntext of the constructions,

EQUATI0NS, as part 0f the East Coast Road Action Committee

had submitted the document'ECR phase l, A Preliminary Survey

Report, Tourism Related Activities'with photographs ofviolations, to this committee

The Phase I of the ECR is an accident-prone area with the number

of accidents shooting up in recent years. Studies during 1998,

have shown that the number of accidents have increased to

around 620, which includes 188 fatal, 155 major and 376

minor accidents (as reported by The Financial Express, 28th

February 2000). The main reason for these accidents is,

among other problems, sharp curves As many as seven

deaths have been reported on the ECR stretch that passes

through Koovathur village In many places the road has

divided the village settlement, and separated public places

like schools and markets The villagers now live in

conti n uous fear for thei r ch ild ren, who are forced to cross the

road every now and then This is the case in many villages

including Seekinikuppam village. There were instances here

of five people being killed in road accidents on a single day

Th is is apart from the loss of cattle along the enti re stretch.

Many of these are faults in the design of the project itself.

Looming large, among the many questions, is the validity of a

super highway along a fragile eco-system, and through rural

settings, where the life and economic activity of the people

does not correspond to the speed and psyche of a super

highway. Now there are plans to smoothen the sharp curves

and bends on the road But this cannot be done without

acquiring more lands and displacing villages like Koovathur

While this saga of sorrow and fear persists, the government

is heading inexorably towards Phase ll, Had it taken into

consideration the lessons from Phase l, there would have

been at least some consolation and hope However, with the

callous disregard of all safeguards in Phase l, one can only

expect the wo rst

Haribabu and Krishna Udayasankar

Coa sta I P rog ra nme, E1UAT I )NS

Not too far from the madding crowd

nnumerable studies and book have highlighted the

de.struction of Kovalam. Using the metaphor of cancer as itgrows, the author questions the popular analysis that the

impacts of tourism can be containedwithin the boundaries ofa tourist destination.

Elegies and dirges on Kovalam have become cliches and much

has been lamented about lt is oft said that the development oft0urism in Keralam will not follow the path taken by Kovalam A

cursory glance at Kovalam will tell us why The Panchayat has

more than 150 resorts and hotels, most courting erosion, hardly

a few metres f rom the sea; the place is abysmally dirty; the local

community has disappeared. The last 25 years of tourism

development has seen the destruction of local econ0my and

culture Kovalam remains today as the epitome of the 'do

nots' of tourism develooment.

8 kms from Kovalam, Chappath in Kottukal Panchayat

displays a silent beauty that is in stark c0ntrast to its

neighbour The silence only masks its violent future. This

unique coastline awaits massive'development', with an

industrial harbour proposed as an extension of the Vizhinjam

ANLetter 22 Vol Z No 1 November 2000



Tourism and lhe Coasl

fishing harbou r. The area is thickly populated with f isherf olk, who

formone-fourth of the

totalpopulation

ofKottukal Panchayat,

according to the 1 991 census.

The area north of the proposed site ior the industrial harbour,

extending till south of the Vizhinjam harbour is packed with

tourism related activities. Unlike Kovalam, these resorts occupy

acres of land, cate ring only to the rich and affl uent. Somatheeram

resorts, Surya Samudra Resofts, Manaltheeram resorts, Nikki's

Nest, are all constructed on cliffs which run into the coast, (areas

which are all CRZ-l), for reasons of proximity to the sea, their

sensitive features, and their unique natural beauty. The

Bethsheba Ashram too participates in tourism, by letting out

cottages. Agastya Resorts bears neither signboards, nor is it

mentioned in Panchayat and other water and electricity records,

and is open only to the chafters from Germany brought in by its

Swiss owner. Most of these resorts do not encourage domestic

tourists, with the excepti0n of luminaries like the Raja of

Travancore, and TN Seshan, who seem to be oblivious of their

illegality (A case is pending in court against Somatheeram The

verdict of the High Court, two years ago, was to demolish parts of

Somatheeram Resorts on account of CRZ violations The case

has been referred to the Coastal Zone Authority for a decision.

Nothing has been heard from them as yet).

The shift in the image of tourism, f rom the Kovalam backpackers,

to the high spending chartered tourists, is significant. This allows

the industry to masquerade as a quiet activity, not affecting the

local population. This is far from the truth. The rapid shift in the

land use and ownership of resources, influences the sustenance

of the local community, by affecting their livelihood operations,

lifestyles, and cultural practices, particularly in the context of

accessibility of land and other res0urces. The fisherfolk's

passage to the sea is blocked in more than one place, a

Panchayat owned road was privatised with supp0rt f rom higher

officials; the tranquility that was common property is now

reserved for aliens. In addition to this, the flagrant violations of

the CRZ and the proximity of these constructions to the sea,

places tremendous pressures on the coastal eco-system. The

brunt of this is borne by the local community, who now

find their settlements washed out every year, by the

increasino intrusion ofthe sea.

The spread of cultural impacts of tourism has preceded

the physical move. The use of drugs, male and female

prostitution etc. is moving rapidly to areas like

Vizhinjam. The oft-heard arguments that these ills are

particular to Kovalam alone have been proved false

Incidents of foreigners marrying local people,

abandoning them and also instances of foreigners

taking young children from the local communities with

them on their tours indicate the settino in of disturbino

trends.

Despite Kerala being a state where the People's Plan process

is supposedly in full swing, tourism marginalises local

communities and the local governance systems. A member

of Kottugal Panchayat had a very different opinion about the

political processes in the state. Despite the fact that the

People's Plan process was initiated by his own political pafi,

he expresses strong reservations about its efficacy in

practice. He said that even with many of the powers (in

theory) and 40% of the plan money (in practise) translerred,

bureaucratic red tape and centralised political maneuvers

continues to have a stranglehold. The industry being very

powerful, to the extent of negotiating and influencing the

central government machinery, he said that it was impossible

for a Panchayat to hold its own. He quoted an incident when

the Panchayat had decided against selling the road t0 one 0f

the resort groups and an order'from above' had them submit.

In Kottugal too, the community and their associated social

and political structures, are skillfully alienated from

resources and the control over them. As is the case of third

world countries in general, smaller, more vulnerable

communities are pushed to a c0rner, with the only option to

embrace tourism, irrespective of the fact that it might

perpetuate a vicious cycle of marginalisation and forced

choices.

As the phenomenon of Kovalam grows to embrace

neighboring areas, much like the spread of the silent killer

cancer, it shatters i rrefutably the myth of tou rism being a site-

specific phenomenon. The touting of tourism as a viable

development option needs urgent and honest examination.While the depafiments of tourism piously claim that there are

lessons to be learnt irom closed chapters, the harsh reality of

living people is thatthese chapters never really close.

Ratheesh R

Campaign lnf ormation Support, E1UATI0NS

ANLetter Vol 7 No I November 2000



Tourism and the Coasl

The " Roinbow" w nt to

0nrkorishwor

-Jn, nippi" boom of the sixties is back in its most/

pctstmodernforms. New places are being identiJied as the

hotspots, as Goa is getting un/'ashionable. Thi,s article

looks at Gokarna and Omkarisltwar to find more about

this nhenomenon.

Coastal farmers in the Ankola-district north of Gokarna must

have been surprised when in early December many strangely

dressed foreigners passed their homes to reach the small beach

which is now called "honey-beach" or "rainbow-beach". The

locals probably hadn't read the signs in Gokarna or seen the

rainbow- website' Even if they had seen these they probably

wouldn't have had an idea what a so-called 'rainbow gathering'

would be like. What they saw then by the end of the millenium on

their beach were more than a hundred naked foreignersswimming in the sea, sitting in circles, holding hands and making

mustc.

When their number was growing by the end of the month, and

more people from the region came to have a look at the bare

white skin, the "rainbow-people" had long discussions about

putting some clothes on In the end local authorities managed to

stop the gathering in mid-January. While some of the part-time

hippies finished their h0liday or had different plans, some of

them went to 0mkarishwar (Madhya Pradesh) to celebrateanother one month long gathering.

Like in the earlier case, they put up their big white tent or tipi

some kilometers away f rom the major pilgrim traffic of the small

town The much smaller 'reunified family (40-60 members)

camped under shady trees fufther up the Narmada River. The

gathering caused less attention than in Gokarna and wasn't

disturbed, except that some rainbow-people were n0t

pleased with the appearance of some sadhus who seemed to

love the idea of sharing food and charas by a warm campfire.

In the town the "rainbow-people" probably didn't cause more

attention then other foreigners staying in 0mkarishwar.Locals and season-workers may have seen much more

strange looking foreigners the last ten years. lVlany wore old

rugs, wrapped in blankets or dressed like sadhus, sanyasis or

beggars. The tourists stay in the ashrams, in some of the 40

daharmsallas, in small huts or on the beach at the western

end of the island. For the last five years there is also one

guesthouse-complex renting rooms only to foreigners

Recently a middle-class hotel opened lts gates to more

affluent tourists. 0n peak days of the four-month season

there are maybe up to 400 foreigners hanging around in the

pilgrimage place. According to the manager of the

guesthouse there has been a big growth in the last two years,

and he is looking forward to a prospected future. The fact

remains that the return of the "rainbow oeoole"will not be of

much help to them, as they are not interested in hotels and

restaurants. Up t0 April 2000 they will be staying s0mewhere

near Daharmsalla (HP) and planning a return in September

after the'big festival'in Rumania to be held in June In

Kirganga (HP), high up in the Parbati-Valley, the'freaky-

family will be discussing theirf urther movements

While it is nearly impossible to make a non-commercial

hippie gathering in Western Europe and not being hustled by

bureaucratic authorities with safety and ecological rules,

India seems to be an ideal alternative. ln rural areas,

authorities are often corrupt and you still find locals who bow





down to the fair skin and high currency, even if a fellow has no

shoes on and onlyan old lungitied around his hips Indiaalso has

got a long hippie-tradition. Their ideological parents used to

come here in the early 60's to relax from the political struggle

against old moral values, militarism, capitalism and the

bureaucratic system. In India they felt f ree to live their dream ofpeace and love with a lot of cheap and good ganja.

With the end of the hippie era, the splitting up in different groups

and the recent commercial comeback of the hippie-fashion, their

movement to India seems even more eooistic and hedonistic

than in the 60's. One point both have jn common is their

disrespect for the local inhabitants. Nobody asks permission

before making a loud party or a long gathering on their

neighborhood, and nobody seems t0 care or think of the

effects of their oaft time invasion in non-tourist areas.

Guido Frenzel

Guido Frenzel is a German tourist who writes about his concerns

on tourism developnent

Combating the'rave' image

J rom being a long time hangout of the hippies, Goafindsitself inflicted by a new breed of visitors, the upper class ofMumbai, who decided to have their millenium parties there.

The image of Goa as a hedonistic paradise has grown and grown,

distorted out of proportion most often, by media hype. But as the

hordes descended here for the millennium celebrations last

week, the reality appeared to have overtaken the 'Goa myth'.

Apart f rom the Bombay glitterati determined to out-do each other

at the five-star circuit and the hyped overpriced private dos,

thousands of young revelers, white and brown, thronged the

North Goa beach belt. Some paid Rs 5,000 per couple asentrance fee alone to one of the most 'happening' dance spots on

Baga beach. All that one was assured offorthe fee was standing

space among the multitude of swaying bodies.

Parking queues ran down 2 km between Baga and Calangute.

The police gave up trying to bring order to the chaos, as rave

parties appeared to spring out of nowhere from Anjuna to

Vagator. Rum and beerwere clearly intheair. Were drugstoo?

A city medical specialist told this correspondent he had been

called in by one of the European embassies to certify the suicide

deaths of three foreign nationals. Drugged into a haze, one of the

victims had jumped into a well.

The state police have on its hands the body of a Calangute

restaurant owner. The post-mortem revealed that he died of an

overdose of either alcohol or drugs and his body has become the

subject of a custody battle between his foreign wife and his local

family.

According to the Director General of Police, R S Sahaye, five

major drug seizures took place in December alone. The drugs

were headed here for the year-end bash. Aware ol the huge

demand for narcotics during such celebrations, a charas

(marijuana) pusher had traveled all the way to Goa from

Chandigarh with his consignment. He was arrested by the

police earlier this week.

The going ralelor charas in Goa is around Rs 20,000 a kilo,says the DGP. The anested man had picked it up for Rs 4,000

a kilo in Chandigarh.

Deeply embarrassed by the adverse publicity that

accomoanied the case of Jeh Wadia's aborted Paraiso de

Anjuna (the Anjuna Paradise) rave party, the new

government promised to go strict with such dos in the future.

"We are going to be very careful in scrutinising permissions

from now on, and certainly no drugs will be allowed, Chief

Minister Francisco Sardinha said to this newsoaoer. But the

fact is that Jeh Wadia (sonof

Bombay Dyeing tycoon Nusli

Wadia), an old Goa hand who has been operating here for

almost a decade, has well-established connections not only

within Goa's political orde( but also its police.

Over three years ag0, Ihe Paraiso de Anjuna (ironically, a

government- owned property on the Anjuna cliffs) party had

made a brg splash in the lsraeli media which wondered why

ANLefter 25 Vol 7 No 1 November 2000




young lsraelis were making a beeline for a tourist spot 0n the

west coast of India. Even after the story appeared in the local

papers atthe time, Mr. Wadia's name was barely whispered at the

Calangute police station. "Jeh is not involved in the parties. He

only uses the place to entertain his f riends" (some of whom were

central ministers), the police inspector had specified.

0n Christmas eve, the High Court here stopped Mr. Wadia's

heavily adveftised (it was put 0ut on the net and on the music p73

channel on TV) millennium bash in its tracks after a public

interest litigation filed by a local journalist. Emboldened by their

backslapping familiarity with the power lobbies here, the

organisers of the Anjuna rave had not even bothered to seek

mandatory licenses. No barlicense had been acquired The lease

for the propefty had expired on September 30. Yet, 77,000

square metres of land touching the beach had been illegally

fenced off and steps and tunnels dug into the cliff.

The party was to feature 30 deejays, six restaurants, a 1 O0-shop

flea market, four bars and a healing centre. For all the

government's assurances to stop rave pafties here, it is difficult

to imagine that any such plan can succeed. lt began first with the

'full moon' parties, then the 'acid' pafties and now the 'rave'

parties with 'Goa trance' (a type of techno music).

The image of Goa as a place to dance and party 0n the beaches is

now completely intertwined with its attraction as a t0urist

destination. A number of Ioreign tourists this correspondent

spoke t0 felt that there was nothing wrong in their wanting to let

their hair down (that's why they come here in the first place),

so long as drugs were controlled. But, as Mr. Sahaye

admitted, this is one area where the state police is sorely

lacking in infrastructure. The DGP says his force is

understaffed and undeftrained to catch the big fish of the

narcotics trade. "We are groping in the dark. But given our

shortcomings, we did manageacommendable job duringthe

millennium,"he says.

Another senior police official points out thdt central

government institutions that specialise in narcotics like

Customs and Central Excise and the Anti-Narcotics Bureau of

India have hardly been active here. They do not pass 0n

intelligence information to the state police either, even

though they are in touch with the drugs enforcement

agencies of the US and their British counterparts. "We are

itching to get our hands on the big guns in the trade, but we

have no inputs from the other agencies."

At least 700 personnel from the central agencies are

stationed in Goa, but despite the huge publicity over Goa's

millennium celebrations, none of them stepped up their

vigilance on the drug trade in the state, the police here

comolained.

This afticle, written by Devika Sequeira, appeared in the

Deccan Herald, 6th January, 2000

'Paradire' for touriltl, (alangttte rtinltt for itl reridentt

sposal of wastes generated by tourism is becoming a

serious issue. Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, and

Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala have initiated interventionson thisfront. Calangute in Goa is yet to get its act together.

Tourism, the smokeless industry, is making its pollution impact

felt in different ways, and some villagers of Calangute are up in

arms overthe uncontrolled sewage problem the area is facing.

"So-called rent-back res0rts are the main culorits. These were

meant t0 be residential homes but have been convefted into

resorts. They simply can't c0pe with the load of sewage

generated,"says Antonio J D'Souza of Gauravaddo, one of the

villagers for long desperately seeking recourse from theproblem.

'0ur problem is that sewage is dumped into traditional storm-

drains,"says Anthony John Simoes, an engineer turned

environmental campaigner from the area, who is known among

green circles in the state for his skills at neatly analysing technical

issues in deoth.

Panchayat authorities in Calangute are on record telling some

resorts that they were guilty of having discharged/disposed

sewage from the septic tank of their hotel resoft into the

public nallah causing a foul smell to the residents of the

ward".

But to cut corners and save rupees, some resorts in this area

simply dump their sewage into nearby drains. This happens

specially during the monsoons.

Lifting the sewage would costthem something. Installing an

effluent treatment plant would be more expensive So the

cheap way out is justto dump it in the storm-drains," explains

Simoes.

But citizens point to the close nexus between local politicians

and some resofts, and say that action is not taken, official

ANLetter 26 Vol 7 No 'l November 2000




figures about resort operations are n0t given access too, and

only when threatened with legalaction do the local bodies trytododge the same by resofiing to various strategies.

"This letter,' says D'Souza, brandishing a copy 0f an official

document, "was written justto stop me from going to the courts."

In it, the authorities tell a resort-owner that they had earlier"incorrectly quoted" the Goa Non-Biodegradable Act and its

relevant sections".

D'Souza said he had filed a Rightto Information petition with the

local authorities, to check how much revenue the local

authorities were actually getting from "rent-back" resorts. But

access to the information was blocked to him, he says.

They get away paying virtually nothing. And then the authorities

want villagers to pay a higher house-tax," says D'Souza.

He pointed out that the cheap tourists that Calangute attracts

were placing severe stress on the environment and local

inf rastructure. I ncidentally this area was one of the first homes to

t0urism in Goa, stafting after the initial hippie boom in the late

'sixties."ln the last season, some tourists from Britain got seven

t0 ten day holidays for as little as a ludicrous 79 pounds sterling,"

says D'Souza. This includes bed and breakfast plus a return

ticket, and perhaps even wouldn't have got one an air ticket from

here to New Delhi I

Recently, Calangute parish priest Jose Dias carried a signed

article in the parish bulletin, pointing out how swimming pools in

the area were not only proving to be water-guzzlers but were also

contaminating the g round-water.

"lt is a matter of prestige and gain for a hotel to own its own

swimming pool. In some villages like Calangute one can f ind four

to five swimming pools within a radius oJ 200 metres," he

commented.

Chemicals pumped into each pool could lead to pollution oJ the

g rou ndwater, vil lagers were cautioned.

Incidentally, swimming pools need a number of chemicals -

activated carbon and chlorine dioxide for taste and odourcontrol; calcium hypochlorite, chlorine and sodium hypochlorite

for disinfection; sodium bicarbonate for the PH adjustment,

potassium permanganate for oxidation of impurities; copper

sulphate and copper oxide for algae control; and bistributyl tin

oxide for algal and fu ngal control.

Villagers who did a study oJ the area said they had found 48

swimming pools scattered across Calangute-Baga. These

included Gauravaddo West (11), Cobravaddo (9), Gauravaddo

East (8), Naikavaddo (7), Sauntavaddo (5), and Tivaivaddo,

Porbavaddo, Umttavaddo and Baga (two each). "This study wasdone some time back. There could be more now," Fr Dias told

Herald.

In the late nineties, Dr. Joe D'Souza and his student Ms. D V.

Gonsalves collected ground water samples from wells adjacent

to hotel constructions in various locations of the one-time placid

fishing village turned tourism-hotspot of Calangute.

0n analysis for their quality by conducting physico-chemical

and chemical and microbiological analysis, results indicated"an excessive load of enteric pathogens, thus establishing the

non- potability olthe watei'.

Said the scientists then: "Unscientific growth of tourism in

Calangute has resulted in most hotels releasing effluents intosoakpits and drainage systems which are often clogged

beyond thei r capacity."

'Rent-backs' in the area have an interesting history. These

were built by builders who cashed in on the building-boom as

well as tourism-boom Goa saw in the early and mid-nineties.

Initially these were built as residential accommodation, and

sold to people from other cities of India, including non-

resident Goans based in crties like Mumbai. For them, the

flats were quite 'cheap', priced once at around Rs 5 lakh for

between 50 to 58 so.metres.

Later, the builders themselves or s0me other party 'rented

back' these huge blocks and converted them into resorts,

mainly for Euro chafter tourists. They believed foreigners

would come and spend lavishly. But they got the riff-raff.

Today, rent-backs have failed, and all the spin offs are

negative," says Simoes.

Since the inf rastructure was meant to be purely residential,

these often did not have plans for sewage treatment facrlities.

But as business started t0 grow, with many low budget

tourists coming in, they began to choke on their own sewage,affecting their neighbours too. "l can get the whiff from my

own house whenever sewage is released,"says D'Souza

D'Souza says rent-backs"- catering to mainly Euro chafter

tourjsts from Britain - have also been responsible for the

noise pollution created by daily music shows, and the

mountains of plastic these generate.

But some resofts are showing that steps can be taken to

alleviate the problem Some resorts -like the Kamats have

gone ahead and installed their own effluent treatment plants.

Belatedly, the Panchayat has told some of the offending

resorts t0 install effluent treatment plants "of an adequate

capacity" and get it approved by the already-criticised Goa

State Pollution Control Board rn 90 days time.

Failing this, your license to run the resort/hotel shall be

suspended or cancelled under Sections 69, 70 and 71 of the

Goa Panchayat Ral Act of 1 993," warned the Panchayat.

But as some politicians themselves have interests in some

hotels, whether these warnings are effective is anyone's

guess Goa's famed singer Lorna sang paeans of praise to the

"Calangute breeze" in the sixtres. Today, for some of its

residents, itstinksl

This afticle, written by Frederick Noronha, appeared in the

Nalional Hercld.




A tea eup in the storm

he hill station q/ Ooty is burning. The price of teahas gone dov'n drasticallyfrom early this year and

the./armers are on an agitation that continues even

today. The economy of the place is in doldrums as

the tv,o economic activities of the area, tea

cultivatiott and tourism, has been affected.

"Tea and lourism festival is celebrated in the Nilgiris joinlly by lhe

Deparlment of Tourism, Govt. of Tamil Nadu and the Ministry of

Tourism, Govt. of India every January. Cultural programmes, visils lolea estales and factories, fun and frolic etc., mark lhis celebrations

(sic.). Come lo Nilgiris, during this feslival, when lea lovers from all

over lhe world converge. An occasi0n not t0 be missed.... "

('Tea and tourism festival- Udhagamandalan': TTDC brochure

Dept of Touilsm, Government of Tamil Nadu)

"The Flower Show in Ooty has been cancelled. Due to lhe increased

distulbances on law and order and the blocking of roads as pail of the

ongoing agitation of lhe tea cultiualors demanding an increase in the

tea prices, the Stale government has decided to cancel the 104'' (sic.)

Flower Show that was to be held in 0oty. "

(Malayala Manorama 17'' May 2000)

Peacelul co-habitalion

Tea and tourisn havepafted

ways in the hill station of 0oty.

0oty is the headquarters of the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu. A

small town just 36 sq. km. in area, it has always been

considered as one of the most beautiful hrll stations in lndia

ever since the colonial rulers used it as their summer retreat.

The landscape of Ooty is diverse with mountainous terrain

and streams Nilgiris in general and 0oty in particular is

inhabited by a population of various communities including

indigenous communities like the Todas, the Kotas and the

Kurumbas. The main economic activity has been agriculture-

tea being the foremost crop. Tourism is another

acknowledged economic activity today.

The annual Flower Show is the most imoortant touristattraction in Ooty More than 250,000 tourists (both foreignand domestic) visit 0oty every year on the two days of the

Flower Show. This number and the innumerable others who

come to Ooty during the season make up the number oftourists every year. lt is not surprising that the communityhas been forced to see tourism as one oJ their orime

economic activities

Tourism in 0oty has always depended on, among otherthings, tea. The tea estates and gardens were an integral part

ol the landscape of Ooty and thus undoubtedly part of thepackage offered The 'Tea and Tourism Festival' that is

organised by the tourism department is one such occasion

when the two came together to the forefront of marketing

their land. The concept of 'tea tourism' got immense mileage

from this apparently peaceful co-existence. The people ol

AN Letter Vol 7 No | \oremlrer 2000



Campaigns

Ooty also came t0 see tea and tourism as the two economicactivities that sustained them.

The tea story

Tea cultivation cannot be considered as a traditional

economic activity in and around 0oty

(Kotagiri and Coonoor are the

major neighboring towns

with large tea plantations).

Tea entered the economy of

the land as part of thg colonial

Nilgiris- a profile

The Nilgiris, with an area 2549 sq. lcrn, has one of the tallest mountain ranges of the Western Ghats in South India.

l559sq.lrrnsofthistotalareaisforestland. Mosto/theriversinSouthlndiaoriginatefromtheNilgiris.These

rivers nourish the needs of'Tamilnadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. Devala, a place in Gudalur Taluk in the Nilgiris,

receives the highest rainfall in lhe country after Cherapunchi.

There are all types offorests in the Nilgiris like the evergreenforests, moist deciduousforests, scrubjungles, dry

deciduousforestandmontanneforests. GrasslandsarealsoanimportantpartoftheNilgirisalongwiththeshola

foresls. In the year 1986, the aree was brought under the UNESCO's programme, 'Man and Biosphere' (MAB)

andwasdesignatedasthe'NilgiriBiosphereReserve'(I'IBR) ThetotalareaofNilgiriBiosphereReserveis5520

sq.kms. Theseforests have a large collection offlora andfauna, some of them endemic to the region. Theforest is

alsofamousfor the Asian elephant.

MS SelvarajPresident of VTMS and Biological Protection Trust (BPT)

cultivation in the post ..ia g;ing on-roi ir,r pirilitindependence India when the ''' " months. As in the case of

announcing subsidies. Now, teais cultivated in 125,000 acres of ,i R used during the course of

F the struggle. The struggle

! came to the limelight in the

The data brought out by the Tea Board of India suggests thatthe tea production has gone up 29.39% in the first lour

months compared to the same time period last year. At the

s a me time, the f igures on the export of tea have come down

52 6% from the last year The recent export-import

(Exim) policy of India that ann0unced lowering of

import duties on many commodities, which

included tea, facilitated more import from

c0untries like Kenya and Sri Lanka.

The struggle

The struggle of the tea-;, farmers of Ooty has been

month of March. which wase f*"=sd

5

5 s the peak tourist season inl'tnfir

-vvL-Y'

upward mobility the community experienced had a strong streets In pr0test Pr0cesslons were

impact on their lifestyles and aspirations The sudden fall in the confronted with lathi charges and tear

tea prices affected the community in such a waythe community gas shells More than 2000 people (including 600 women)

had not perceived. Last year the green tea leaves were sold at were arrested and detained for days in Coimbatore, an

Rs.18 per Kg (the price of tea in the market being Rs. 1S0 - 200). industrial city 90 kms. away f rom Ooty. The arrests infuriated

Thislellsteeplyt0Rs.4.50-5.00perKgearlythisyear. the protestors and buses were burned and public pr0perty

cultivation in the earlv davs itself. The subsequent

ANLetter 29 Vol Z No 1 November 2000



Campaigns

destroyed. Railways were disrupted and roads

blocked. The protesters also announced their

decision to stop the government from

celebrating the 105'" Flower Show that was the

piece d'resistance of the summer festivities in

0oty.

The Flower Show is the time when the

maximum number of tourists come to Ooty

This is celebrated annually celebrated in May

and this year the dates announced for the

Millenium Show were the 20'' and the 21" of

May The Tamil Nadu government and the

Horticulture Department sees the Flower Show

as one ol the most prestigious and money

spinning of events The agitators also found

this the apt opportunity to enlarge the scope of

their struggle and seek more attention. And

therefore the Flower Show became the 'site' for the Drotest f0r the

attention it would invite.

The roads to 0oty were blocked and the tourists were not allowed

into the city. The public transp0rt system was paralysed and had

to seek the police force for protection. At last the government

decided to cancel the Flower Show in its 105'n year. All the

arrangements that were done had to be undone. The news that

the show was cancelled gave the protest much-neededattention

The call to obstruct the Flower Show and the government's

decision to call it off also oaid immediate dividends for the

agitators. The struggle got attention from the government and

debates ensued in the Legislative Assembly. The government

took certain decisions to ensure the sustenance of the tea

cultivators. They decided to decrease the sales tax from 8% to

4o/o.fhe Central Government declared an increase in the import

duties on tea from 15% to 35% except for the imports from Sri

Lanka (it is learnt that the Minister of Commerce Murasoli

Maran's son has tea plantations in Sri Lanka). These decisions

are seen as mere sops by the farmers whose demand remains to

withdraw the Exim policy directions.

The struggle has had a flip side to it. The economy of Ooty, which

has already been shaken thoroughly by the low tea prices, had its

second blow when the tourism activity got disrupted. Thus the

people of 0oty who depended soley on tea and tourism, ended up

with having neither.

The issue- a look behind the scenes

The apparent and the immediate issue is surely that of the

sustenance of the thousands related to and living on tea

llew policies that

favour the import

of agilcultural

comnodities andsimultaneous

withdnwalof

internal subsidies

has rcsulted in

the increased

marginalisation

of aEiculture.

production and related activities in 0oty Behind

this lies the larger question of the state's interest

in the various sectors of development and its

vision of growth. The issue clearly is a fallout of

the exoorl orientation and the liberalisation

processthat has been initjated by all thegovernments in the last decade. The struggle of

the tea farmers in 0oty brings to fore issues

related to the priorities of the government in the

context of the opening of the Indian market for

foreign investors and trade.

The issue of tea is directly related to the recent

Exim policy of the government, which lowered

the import duty on essential commodities. The

fact is that such decisions of the government

stem from taking no cognisance of the realities

on the ground and the dynamics of local

economies There seems to be no effective communication

and planning in matters which are of interestto more than one

ministry or department or even between the national and the

regional levels. Agriculture, which has been identified as the

primary sector is totally neglected in the scheme of

develooment. New policies that favour the imoort of

agricultural commodities and simultaneous withdrawal of

internal subsidies has resulted in the increased

marginalisation of agriculture. All attention seems to have

shifted to the pampered tertiary sector (in which tourism is a

star player) with a host of subsidies and incentives provided.

The struggle in the hill station of Ooty provides interesting

signif iers f or ou r analysis of the economics of the cou ntry. Tea

and tourism for us are these signifiers for primary and teftiary

sectors respectively. "lf the problems of the tea cultivators are

not solved, the government is bound to lose the crores of

money from tourism"(Malayala Manorama May 20'' 2000)

indicating that the protest of the tea farmers could gain mediaattention only when tourism was threatened This

confrontation of the primary sector and the teftiary sector is a

striking contradiction in the present Indian economy.

After more than a century of tea and tourism, the battle lines

are clearly drawn out in the small town of Ooty. The agitation

of the tea cultivators is one more chapter t0 the many

struggles on the ground that seeks equal rights for livelihood

in an increasingly unequal world.

ANLetler team

with inputs fromShirley Susan andDhanaraj Keezhara




Campaigns

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TtrIi STITUGGI,I] IDIAIIY

February: VTMS' initiated a campaign to expose the consequences of the new economic policy and the

WTO agreement amongst the tea planters and estate labourers and to condemn the tea impofts from Sri

Lanka and other countries.

February: Representatives of political pafties and tea growers organised a meeting to discuss the issue

of the fall in price oJ tea and to plan agitations. The Member of Parliament and the Members of the

Legislative Assembly f rom Nilgiri participated in this. lt was decided that the central and state ministers

concerned be met immediately. Union Minister of Commerce Mr. Murasoli Maran and other ministers

concerned were met with later.

February 2; A huge protest meeting was organised by VTMS. A large section of the population

participated in this. Resolutions condemning tea import and demanding the withdrawal from WTO

agreement were passed and were sent to the district administration and to the state and centralg Ove rn m e

nts.April 5-8: A campaign in Gudalur and Pandalur using loud speaker fitted to a jeep was carried out.

Propaganda against g lobal isation and tea i m port was the content. I n addition, street corner meetings andpublic meetings were held. Besides WMS, the farmers' wing of CPI and CPI (M), ADMK, TMC etc.participated.

Aprill0: 1 lakh (100,000)farmers and labourers assembled paralysing Ooty. Slogans demanding the

scrapping of tea imports, dismantling the process of globalisation, fixing Rs.15 (US $ 0.33) per

kilogramme of tea leaves etc were raised. Political party leaders als0 participated. The government

machinery was alert as the peasants mobilised themselves with heightened awareness. lf thetea importwas notprevented, itwas declaredthatthe FlowerShow in 0otywould be prevented.

April30:A bandh was called.

May 2: Rally, hunger strike, public meetings etc. were held in Gudalur. Hundreds of tea growers and

labourers pafticipated in this.

May 5: A trade bandh was called throughout the district on 'Traders day', which is celebrated for the last

17 years on May 5th.

May 15: Peasants organised a protest rally in which thousands participated half-naked. The rally took a

violentturn when some miscreants threw stones leading to police lathicharge and repression.4T people

were arrested. The tea growers carried out a rail blockade in Kettj for 6 hours. Thousands participated in

road blockades, picketing etc. and other agitation in the villages near by. In this agitation, demands forthe resignations of the MP and MLAs were raised. About 10,000 people participated in the rally at

Edakkad. Roads were blocked in Thankad village. 0n the night of May 1 5th, 7 government buses and 1 3

vehicles carrying tourists were smashed. During the rally that day, a car and a Tata Sumo were smashed.

Glass panes of many hotels were also destroyed. A police inspector and a constable were stoned forusing foul language againstthe protestors.

May 18: There were agitations all over the district demanding the release of the arrested. Picketing ofroads and protest meetings took place. 2000 people including 700 women were arrested and imprisoned

in the Coimbatore Centralja,,.

May 19: When it was learnt that the Union Minister for Human Resource Development Mr. Murali

Manohar Joshi would visit Ooty on his way to Coimbatore, the people of Yellanahalli organised protests

and road blockade. The police lathi charged to disperse the agitators. The situation turned tense. Slippers

werethrown atthe Inspector General of Police Mr. Subbayawhen he arrived to seithe situation in order

Dist. Collector Sh ivashan kar had to apolog ise for the incident. 0n ly after this, partial peace was restored.May 20: lg nori ng the threats of the p0lice that strict action would be taken agai nst the protestors and thatthe 'Goondas Act" would be invoked, agitators continued road blockade in various parts of the districtfrom the morning of May 20th. In many places government offices were attacked and stoned. Road

transportwasparalysed 4busesweresetfireinKothagiri.Over5000agitatorsbeganpicketing.Manjur

1 VivasiygalThozhilargal[VlunnetraSangam(VTlVlS)]safarmersuni0nintheGudalurandPandalurtaluksoftheNilgirisdistrict

2 Anactlhatdealswithanti-s0cialelements

a

a

ANLetter 3t Vol 7 No I November 2000



Campaigns

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police station was attacked. 25 buses were stoned. Tension reigned throughout Nilgiri. Asthe situation

was turning worse, the government began t0 appease the agitators by holding talks. The Chief Minister

ordered for the immediate release of the arrested. Public transport was paralysed for a week. The ruling

party leaders tried to divert, subveft and weaken the struggle. They said that Nilgiri tea is of low qualitythat the tea is adultorated and that is why the price of tea fell. Many innocent farmers and women were

arrested. Though the Chief Minister announced that all the arrested would be released unconditionally,

yet cases have been registered against 46 agitators

May 21. The peasants of Mavanahalli launched a hunger strike. Additional DGP Kumaraswamy held talks

with the agitators. An emergency meeting under the leadership of the dist. collector was held. The MP,

MLAs, party leaders, peasant leaders etc pafticipated in this. The collector promised that the demands

would be duly considered and requested that peace should prevail in the district.

May 20-21 : the 1 05* Flower Show that was to be held was abandoned by the government.

May22 Police were rushed from other districts and deployed throughoutthe district including Manjur.

The peasant anger exploded uncontrollably. Stone throwing took place The offices of the electricity

board, telephone department, collectorate etc were subject to stone throwing Additional police from

0oty was deputed to control the agitation. Special Task Force and Rapid Action Force were deployed. The

police force patrolled the area during nights. Superintendents of Police frorn 4 districts were stationed in

the district.

May 22. The Tamilnadu governm,ent constituted a high level committee consisting of the Labour

Secretary, Tea Board First Officer, INCOSERVE Managing Director and District Collector to study the

issue of tea and to submit recommendations. This Committee met the leaders of the protest at Ooty on

May 22nd. [Their 200-page repoft was submitted to the Chief Minister on June 30th. There are 21

recommendations in this report. lt has been announced that appropriate decisions would be taken in

consu ltation with the central government and announced shortly.l

May 29: Attention wasdrawn to the issue in the legislative assembly and aprolonged

debate followed. ltwas stated that a sitMtion has ernerged in Nilgiris that farmers may commit suicide as it happened

amongst,the cotton g,rowers in Andhra. Besides, it was stated thatthe import policyand liberalisation are

the causes. lt was stressed that a resol,ution must be passed and sent to Delhi The Chief Ministet

announced thatthe sales taxis being reduced JromEo/qlo 4ohlora period of 6,months.

Ertracts f romMS Selvaraj's arltqle 'lmpacts of new economic policy,on the tea indus,try and tea'estate workers in the Nil,airis'

-)

Iailpiece

The struggle in 00ty and the nearby places continues to date. Protest gatherings, roadblocks and the

arrests that follow are not of much interest to the press today. The struggle continues as no visible

measures have been made by the government to ensure that the grievances of the people in Nilgiris are

addressed. Repofts on the decreasing exports and other government statistics on tea d0 appear in the

newspapers, but the struggle is erased from its pages. One of the significant developments that brought

the media attention, though limited, back on the tea crisis was the sandalwood smuggler Veerappan's

statement that the Kannada matinee idol Dr. Rajkumar will be released only if, among other things, the

welfareoftheNilgiri teafarmersisassured. Thisagainisapointertowardstheinterestthatthemediais

showing towards an important struggle like this. May saw massive publicity because of the cancellation

of the FlowerShow, while in August, it isthe abduction of the superstarthat broughtthe issue back tothe

front pages, at least asa one-liner.




Campaigns

Gleaning up tourism0n the campaign 0n banning plastics in Kodaikanal

wareness against the use ofplastics below 20 microns is growing in dilJbrent parts ofthe country. The High Court in Kerala has banned its use early this year Maharashtra

government has issued a ban on plastics in Mumbai and there is news of similar initiatives

from Rajasthqn. Much ofthe credit for this awareness can be attributed to vorious pressure

groups, including NGOs. A campaign to make Kodaikanal plastics-Jiee has been onJbr the

past eight months. The campaign initiated by Kodaikanal Lake Protection Council (KLPC),

Tamil Nadu Environmental Council CNEC) and EOUATIONS has seen success. A reDort.

The history of Kodaikanal as a tourist destination dates back to

the Raj. The sahibs found it ideal for a summer retreat.

Independent India spared no effort developing this area as an

important hill station in south of the country. Today Kodaikanal

sees itself at the hub of tourist activities in the summer. The area

rs well developed in terms of tourism inf rastructure and annual

tourist festivals and f lower shows are held. Tourism, as usual,

has taken its toll on the economy and ecology of the area. Like

many other destinations, for example 0oty, the economy is

primarily dependent on tourism. But the graver rssue that stares

at us is the ecological degradation 0f the place through the long

years of tourism development. The lake, which is the major

attraction in Kodaikanal, is on the verge of destruction because of

soil eroding from the banks due to the felling of trees, disposal of

waste into the lake and the use of plastics as carry bags and tea

cups.

Tourism development in Kodaikanal has been in discussion with

concerned groups for many years now. The Kodai Lake has

been the focus of concerned groups for at least the last

five years, and the Kodaikanal Lake Protection

Council (KLPC) was formed to ensure theIhe consultation generated

public interest in its attempt

to situate the issue ofplastics in a human context

than only as an

enYironmental issue. Effecbof plastics like cancer was

highlighted along with

instances of animals dying

as a result of plastics

entellng thefu system.

students who were instrumental in working towards the

banning of plastics. A target was set that the decision ol

banning plastics above 20 microns in Kodaikanal would have

to be reached before the World Tourism Dav on 27'n of

Seotember.

Training pr0grammes for NG0s, students, tourism industry,

traders and tourists were conducted. A consultation on the illeffects of plastics was conducted on the 26'' of April in

connection with Earth Day. Academicians like the Registrar of

Mother Theresa University and off icials including the

Revenue Divisional Officer participated al0ng with NG0s. The

consultation generated public rnterest in its attempt to situate

the issue of plastics in a human context than only as an

environmental issue. Effects of plastics like cancer was

highlighted along with instances of animals dying as a result

of plastics entering their sysrem. Inviting their active

involvement in the campaign, the workshop requested theresidents ofthe hill station to refrain from the use of olastics

as carry bags. The consultation urged the

government to create a code of conduct for

the t0urists to ensure that the olace is not

conservation of the lake and its fragile ecology.

Converging on to the issue of use of plastics in

and around the Kodai Lake early this year it

identified banning of plastics as the immediate

and critical agenda. The joint forces of KLPC,

Tamil Nadu Environment Council (TNEC) and

EQUATI0NS decided to follow the example of

0oty where the campaign to ban plastics was on

(plastics below 20 microns were banned in 0oty

in May 2000) A fact-finding team visited 0oty

early this year in February to study the situation a.nd

had discussions with the dist. collector, NGOs and

destroyed and to use ail available

machinery and the various departments

to join hands in the awareness

campaign. Palmyra, jute and paper bags

were recommended as possible

arternatives to olastic. lt was alsosuggested that a uniform policy should

be designed for all the hill stations to

ensure conservation.

The consultation was followed by a

cleaning campaign around the Kodai Lake.




Campaigns

The highlight of the campaign was the participation

of the civic authorities including the Deputy

Suoerintendent oJ Police, officials of various

g0vernment departments like Tourism,

Forest and also the representatives of

political parties. Billboards announcing the

lake premises as"Clean Zone"were erected.

The authorities talked to the traders in

person t0 stop using plastics and this

turned out to be more effective than a

written order.

A stall on the use of plastics was erected at

the Flower Show that was conducted as a

part of the Kodai Festival by KLPC, TNEC

and E0UATI0NS. This helped in

highlighting the issue and brought it to the

Ihe inplementation of the ban

on plastics, the campaignem

feel, has been accomplished as

a result of the wlll shown by tbe

ciYic authorities who were

ready to acknowledge the issue

brought to focus by the

campaigning llG0s. Political

will, they say, will surely see

that the same result is achieued

in other places also.

amount of awareness that has been created

that even the local population is responding

positively to the campaign. The

campaigners found themselves on the

way to a total ban way before the

dead line that was set by them.

The success of the campaign against

olastics in Kodaikanal has to be

fufthered with continuing awareness

programmes targeting the resident

population and the studentcommunity. The implementation of the

ban on plastics, the campaigners feel,

has been accomolished as a result of

the will shown by the civic authorities

who were ready to acknowledge the issue

brought to focus by the campaigning NG0s.

Political will, they say, will surely see that the

same result is achieved in other olaces also.

ANLetler team

with inputs from L Antonysamy (President, TNEC) and

Shirf ey Susan (Progra mnn Coordi nat or, E0UATI1NS)

notice of the district collector. He declared on

the spot that the issue is of grave concern and will

be taken seriously by the district authorities.

Discussions between the authorities and the traders followed

and was decided that the use of olastics will be cu ftailed.

Notices against the use of plastics stafted appearing in the shops

as early as mid-June. 95% of the shops have decided t0 put an

end to the use of plastic carry bags. There is a considerable




Bombay High Court at Goa Delivers

Major Environment Verdict

The Bombay High Court has delivered a resounding judgmentupholding the power of the central government t0 issue

di rections (unde r Secti on 5 of the Envi ronnent Protecti on Act,

1986)toany person 0r body in orderto protectthe environment.

At the same time, the judgement has also further broadened the

locus standi of citizens to approach the courts to prevent

environment degradation of any area within the country.

The 1S7-page judgment was delivered by a division bench

comprising of Justice Fl Rebello and Justice VC Dhagaat Goa.

The judgment was delivered after the court heard and disposed

off two writ petitions. The first was f iled by the Gulf Goans Hotels

Ltd. against directions issued by the Ministry of Environment

and Forests to the authorities to cut off water and electricity

supply to their building. The ministry had issued the order after

coming to a conclusion that the construction of the hotel was in

violation of the guidelines issued t0 protect the beaches of the

country. The second petition was filed by the Goa Foundation,

Goa's premier environment action group, for demolition of the

new wing of the hotel and the swimming pool, as both had been

constructed within 200 mts of the High Tide Line (HIl). The

petition filed by the Gulf Goan Hotels was relected while the

petition filed by the Foundation was allowed with costs. Gulf

jl iudSement recently delivered by the Bombay High Court on q case between

hotel groups and the Goa Foundation' addresses the relationship between the

industry, the state, and civil society. A milestone ofvictory in the continuing saga ofslruggles that has marked the development of tourism in Goa; the case brings to

mind the plethora of issues that have been in focus for a long time including the

cases on the CRZviolations.

Goans Hotel was also directed to pay costs'to the Ministry of

Environment.

Several hotels and resorts came up in the State of Goa during

the Eighties. Due to collusion by the Goa government

authorities, some of them were granted permissions in

violation of existing guidelines. While the Foundation literally

flooded the High Court with petitions challenging the

violations, the Ministry of Environment issued directions

under Sec,5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986,

requiring the local authorities to cut otf water and electricity to

hotel buildings.

lmmediately after the order to cut off electricity and water was

issued in the case of Gulf Goans Hotel. the hotel owners filed a

writ petition and managed t0 get an interim stay of the order.

The hotel owners also challenged the vires of &c. 5of the

Environment Protection Act, 1 986.

During the same period several other hotels including the

Leela Beach, the Majorda Beqch Resort and the 0ld AnchorResort of the Dalmia ResortS,(6IC Group) were also issued

similar directions for violations of coastal regulations by the

MoEF. These orders were also challenged and stayed.

1 GoaFoundationisanon-governmentorganisati0nbasedinGoa,workingondevelopmentissueswithspecialemphasisonenvironment.Usinglawasatool,theyhave

made successful interventions in debates oertainin0 to this area,

2 Exactfigures not available




Tourism and the Law

Senior Goa Advocate VB Nadkarni appeared for the Gulf Goans

Hotel, RN Trivedi, Additional Solicitor-General, appeared for the

Union of India and Norma Alvares for the Goa Foundation.

Counsel forthe other resorts were also heard on the vires of Sec.

5ofthe Environment Protection Act bythe court.

The court stayed the demolition of the building in order to allow

the Gulf Goans Hotel to appeal to the Supreme Court but ruled

there would be no stay to the directions issued by the

Government of India for cutting off the supply of electricity and

water to the resort.

33- - The court in its judgment has

discussed the constitutionalduties of citizens to protect the

enuironment and the importance

of the Stockholm Gonference

and the Gonference on

Environment and Development

held at Rio de Janeiro in June

1992 as a souroe fol

legitimising action to protectthe environment. lt has gone

extensively into the seueral

landma* decisions of the

Supreme Gourt of lndia and ofthe United States dealing withplotection of the enuironment.t t

The detailed judgment is in the nature of a landmark verdict as it

deals with and settles severil important issues relating to the

environment protection regime within the country; the powers

available to the central government under the Environment

Protection Act 1986 to cure environment wrongs; the rights of

citizens to approach the court 0n matters of environment

degradation of any kind and the validity of guidelines dealing with

development of beaches issued prior to the promulgation of the

Environment Protection Act, 1986.

The court in its judgment has discussed the constitutional duties

of citizens to protect the environment and the importance of the

Stockholm Conference and the Conference on Environment and

Development held at Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 as a source for

legitimising action to protect the environment. lt has gone

extensively into the several landmark decisions of the

Supreme Court of India and of the United States dealing with

orotection of the environment. lt discusses several

judgments of the apex court 0n the issue of inclusion of

environment proiection as part of fundamental right to life

guaranteed to all citizens.

The court has reconfirmed the decision of an earlier bench of

the Bombay High Court (also delivered at Goa) in Prof. Sergio

Carvalho Vs State of Goaand others (1989 (1) Goa 1.T.276)

upholding the policy of the Central Government to maintain a

200 mts no development zone through out the country for

ecological reasons.

The scholarly judgement quotes extensively from Chief

Seattle's address to the President of the United States and

from the recent book, "0ur Silent Future', written by Theo

Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski and John Peterson Myers. lt has

held that the ban on constructions in the beach zone u oto 200

mts or 500 mts as the case may be, restriction on removal of

sand dunes, tapping of ground water resources and

restrictions on buildings were to protect the coastal

environment as it formed part of the right to life itself. The

court has also held, in view of several apex court judgments

on international conventions, that the Stockholm Declaration

can be enforced in municioal c0urts in absence of municioal

laws and that citizens can move the courts for relief .

The courl has also distanced itself from an earlier decision of

the Bombay High Court which had held that a letter written by

Mrs. Indira Gandhi in November 1981 was in the nature of an

executive fiat without legal validity and therefore not legally

enforceable. The Rebello-Dhaga bench has upheld the legal

validity of the letter. The judgement rules that the letter

issued by the prime minister on November 27'' 1981 to the

chret ministers of all coastal states in India requiring them to

maintain a no-development zone of 500 metres f rom the HTL,

was in her capacity as prime minister of the country. The

judgment reads: "ln our constitutional scheme, it is the prime

minister who advises the President, The post of the prime

minister is recognized under Article 74 lt is the prime

minister who has to perform the duties as set out therein.

Therefore when the orime minister addressed the Nations of

the World at Stockholm, it was 0n that authority and reflects

her government's view. lt was not the view of an individual. lt

was a commitment of the Government of India to the Nations

of the World. The letter dated November 27,1981therefore

was a letter by the prime minister expressing views as those

of her government."The court held that the letter reflected the

policy of the government and the coastal states in fact acted

on the said letter after it was sent to the various chief

ministers. The letter was in fact a res0onse to the Stockholm

ANLetter Vol 7 No 1 Norember 2000



Tourism and the Law

declaration and was issued in view of India's obligations made

afterthe Stockholm Conference.

The judgement relates that after Mrs. Gandhi's letter, the

Department oJ Environment, Government of India, after

consulting with the governments of the coastal states producedguidelines for the development of beaches. The court has held

that Mrs. Gandhi's letter and the guidelines were pursuant to the

Stockholm Declaration and therefore are part of the law of the

land. They constitute affirmative action by the Government of

lndia to implement Articles 21 and 48 A of the Constitution of

India.

The judgment examines and rejects challenges made by several

of the beach resorts to Sec. 5of the Environment Protection Act.

.9c. 5 gives the central government powers t0 issue directionsto any person, officer or authorities in environment matters and

these directions must be obeyed. The directions could include

cutting off of electricity and water, and closure, prohibition or

regulation ofany industry, operation or process.

The resorts argued that there are no guidelines to regulate the

manner in which the central government could issue directrons

u/s 5 and that buildings would not come underthe definition of

industry, operation or process as lhe entire Environment

Protection Act, 1986, dealt solely with industrial pollution.

The central government argued that Sec 5 is merely in the

nature of a procedure and that it was the wrong section to be

challenged Mr Trivedi argued that none of the petitioners had

challenged Sec 3 oI the Act which actually confers powers on

the government to deal with environment violations

Mr. Trivedi drew the attention of the court to the holistic def inition

of the word "environment" in the Act which includes water, air

and land and the inter-relationship that exists among andbetween water, air and land and human beings, or other living

creatures, plants, micro organism and property. The courtfinally

held that buildings were covered by the word "operations and

0rocesses" and therefore there was no bar to demolish such

buildings if they were found to be in violation lt concluded that

the words"industries, operations and processes'are to be read

d isjunctively.

The court further held that once the Environment Protection Act

came into force on November 1 9, 1 986 power to take action was

conferred by Sec. 5 of the Act. Before the Environment

Protection Act was notified there was no provision for

enforcement of the guidelines. In rts earlier order the court had

ruled that the guidelines could be enforced despite the fact that

they were issued prior to the Environment Protection Act, 1986.

It was not therefore oossi ble for the cou rt to set back the clock.

The court held that the oower under Sec 3 of the

Environment Protection Act flows from the followino

principles:

1. Precautionary principle and the new concept of burden

of proof;

2. Stockholm Declaration o11972 and Rio Declaration of

1 992;

3. To enforce the guidelines of 1983 & 1986 as a part to

rightto life and;

4. The principle of inter-generational equity, the rights to the

f utu re generation against the present generation.

The court did not accept the view of the solicitor general that

the Environment Act could be seen to have retrospectiveeffect from the date of the Stockholm Conference in 1 972. lt

held that directions could onlv be issued after 1986

November 19'n.

The courl also held that there would be no deprivation of

property if persons who held land covered by coastal

regulation could use the land only as permitted under the

guidelines. The court summed up its own conclusions as

follows:

1) Sec. 5 does not suffer from the vice of arbitrariness.

There is also no abdication of essential legislative

function lt cannot, therefore, be said that Section 5 fthe

Environment (Protection) Act is ultravires.

2) The expression 'measures in Sec 3(2) of the

Environment Act, read with Sec. 3(2)(v), inposing

restrictions in areas, for setting up ol industries,

operations 0r processes, which cannot be carried out,

does not necessarily deal with environmental pollution

only. ,frc. 3(1) and *c. 3(2) read together orindependently, enable the government in furtherance of

the objective of protecting and improving the quality of

environment and protecting and controlling

environmental pollution, to exercise powers

independent of each other. lt would be competent for

the central government, therefore, to issue guidelines or

orders independent of Sec. 3(2) under Sec. 3(1) to

protect the coastal ecology in order t0 prevent coastal

degradation.

3) The expression "industries, operations and processes",

cannot be read ejusden generis They do not take

colourfrom each other. They can be read independent of

each other as also taking colour from each other.

Construction of buildings will be "operations within the

meaning oI Sec. 3(v)oIlhe Environment Act. The issue

ANLetter )/ Vol 7 No 1 November 2000



4)

Tourism and lhe Law

7)

is also no longer res integra, in view of the judg ments of the

apex court in the case oI lndian Council for Enviro-legal

Acti on vs. Uni on of India (sup ra) and Gopi Aqua Fa rms vs.

Union of lndia, (supra), upholding the then CRZ

Notifications, as also the judgment of the Apex Couft in S

Jagannath vs. Union of lndla (supra) and Vellore Citizens'Welfare Forum vs. Union of lndia (supra). The two CRZ

Notifications have imnosed a ban on construction in the

coastal areas as oerthe classification ofthe area.

The guidelines circulated in September 1983 as contained

in Circular of May 1983 and the 0rder of June 1986 are paft

of the policy of the Government of India to protect the

coastal ecology and environment. lt was, therefore,

competent for the Union of India in f urtherance of its policy

t0 protect the environment and ecology, to have issued

these administrative instructions They are traceable to the

power of the Government of India to legislate in the f ield of

ecology and environment, as they are not included either in

List ll or List lll and will fall in the Resid uarv Entrv of List

The letter of the late orime minister dated 27th November'1981, read with the guidelines of 1983 and 1986, were a

follow-up measure of India's acceptance of the Stockholm

Declaration. Government of India had the exclusive

authority to enact legislation to give effect to lnternational

Conventions under Article 253 read with Article 13 of List l.

The letter and the guidelines therefore, are for enforcing the

Stockholm Declaration. They are not contrary t0 the

municipal law, astheyare paftof the rightto life

An aggrieved citizen could have moved the court to

complain that his right to life has been affected by coastal

degradation and to enforce the Stockholm Declaration, as

reflected in the Government of India'spolicy, pursuant

tothe letter written by the then former (sic.) prime minister

and follow-up guidelines A High Courl hearing a petition

under Article 226 in such a case, could have enforced the

1 983 and 1 986 guidelines

Though the Stockholm Declaration could be enforceable

read with the guidelines of 1983 and 1986, it could only be

atthe instance of a citizen movinq the courtfor relief.

lf a citizen could have moved, the Government of India itself

could have demanded compliance However, in the absence

of any power f lowing f rom any Act till 19th November 1986,

no directions could have been issued to remove the

construction. The license could have been revoked.

However. on comino into force of the Environment Act and

the Rules on 19th Novembef 1986, itwas competentfor

the Union of India t0 issue directions in exercise of its

powers under Section 5, read with Sub-section (3)(1) of

the Environment Act in respect of constructions put up

in violation of the 1983 or 1986 ouidelines.

However, if the EDC, Goa had granted permission to

construct and if the construction was completed by

June 1986, then, no directions could be issued under

Sec 5of the Environment Act A citizen. however. could

move the court if the 1983 or 1986 ouidelines had been

vio lated.

9) The guidelines of 1 983 and 1 986 do not have the effect

of depriving the petitioner or any developer of his right

to property under Article 3004 of the Constitution of

India, on the ground that it amounts to deprivation of

propedy not according to law The guidelines of 1983

and 1 986 form a part of the right to life, guaranteed by

Article 21. Therefore, the guidelines are restrictions

imposed by law

10) 0n the facts of the present case, there has been no

violation ofthe principles of natural justice and fairplay.

M ore i nformation thereafter:

After this judgement, the High Couft allowed two other

petitions filed by the Goa Foundation challenging

constructions raised bythe Malorda Beach Resort (Majorda)

and the Dalmia Resoft (0ld Anchor) at Cavelossim. 150

It had earlier allowed a writ petition filed by the Goa

Foundation and set aside the demarcation of the High Tide

Line demarcated by the Surveyor General of India from

Velsao to Cavelossim, holding that the HTL was in violation of

the CRZ notification reouirements

The High Court also allowed a petiti0n filed by the Foundation

against the Panchayats of Calangute and Candolim,

challenging widespread constructions in the 200-metre no-

development zone of the two villages. lt referred all the

impugned constructions to the Goa State Coastal Zone

Management Authority to be dealt with under the provisions

of the Environment Protection Act, 1 986 and directed both

Panchayats to pay Rs.1 5,000 each in costs to the Fo u ndation

This piece is a reproduction from the website

ht t p //www. g o a c o m c o m/g e f/d ox/j u d g e me nt - re be I I o ht ml

5)

6)

8)

AN Letter 3B Vol 7 No 1 November 2000



An lnnoduction to lourim and Anthropology

Peter Burns

Routledge, 1 999, tl 4. 99,

pbk 208pp, ISBN: 0 41518 627 7

Peter Burns introduced his book graphicallywith a lront cover illustration of the land

ceremony on the lsland ol Pentecost

(Vanuatu). In the ceremony the diver's head

brushes the soil to symbolically fedilise the

earth forthe nextseason's crop In my opinion

Peter Burns performs a comparable high-wire

act brushing his head briefly against the

theoretical terrain of anthropology and

tourism, fertilising itfilling a gap in its Library.

A gap of nearly a century separated the

emergence of the disciplines of anthropology

and of tourism, nevertheless. academia was

equally sceptical of both Anthropology's

rebellious exodus from the embrace of

sociology remains a controversial move

am ongst those who are c ritical of the val id ity of

qualitative data The link between

anthropology and colonialism, although notto

be over-rated, does have an element of truth

that has led many to debate its current validity.

The emergence of tourism as an independent

lield of study was received with equal

sceoticism. Oueries as to whether tourism is a

service industry or a set of inter linked

industries to be studied within the realm ojbusiness studies, or whether it is a social

phenomenon that has to be analysed within the

context of sociology and anthropology,

remained unanswered

The similarity between the two disciplines

became obvious For example, they are both

based on the move away f rom familiar territory

to another culture that becomes the subject of

theirgaze ortheirfield notes There is currently

an interactive relationship between

anthropology and tourism, but the ambiguity

of both disciolines remains a oroblematic area

especiallyfor undergraduate students How far

back does one need to go in order to be able to

grasp an objective analysis of the main

theoretical debates that the marriage of both

disciolines 0resents lt is issues like the

commoditisation of culture, authenticitv,

globalisation, tourism and development that

are being addressed in this book against a

background of essential basic information of

both anthropology and tourism

Peter Burns was asking for trouble when he

decided to discuss the rise of anthropology,

structuralism, and a touch of functionalism in

the first twenty pages of his book He is not

getting that from me! | believe that the

synthetic discipline of the anthropology of

tourism needed this introduction I see it as a

useful guide book for those who intend to go

deeper in the fields

This book, as clearly stated in its preface, is a

beginning rather than an end forundergraduate students lt is written to

address the problems faced by students

studying tourism as their main subject. The

fragmented nature of tourism studies meansthat the average student will find it almost

impossible to fully grasp the disparate issues

related to his/her field, which books like this

a00ress

There is a good balance of pure

anthropological concepts and their relation to

the phenomenon of tourism, nevertheless, the

book is obviously written from the angle of

tourism rather than anthropology In his

discussion of structuralism, for example, the

examples given were related to tourism and

linked the works of Levi-Strauss to those of

Dean MacCannell

The book has got an underlying rebellious

tone, similar to that most commonly found in

books discussing the anthropology of

tourism The author raises a number o1

questions concerning what he termed the

c ritical deconstructi on of to u ris m and to u ri sts,

the role played by the institution oi tourism in

commoditising culture, and the impact of

tourism on people's livelihoods However, he

also argues that issues that are of prime

importance to communities (such as the lack

of alternative employment opportunities) are

obscured by the blanket condemnation of

tourism in academic circles over the last

decade He also maintains that if we believe

culture is dynamic, then we should challenge

arguments about the effect ol tourism on local

cultures - tourism is not the only source oi

culture change in such a boundary-less global

w0fl0

This book is divided in two pads, part one

discusses main concepts like anthropology,

tourism, tourists and culture The second pad

goes into the details of the anthropology ol

tourism itself and touches upon issues like

globalisation and development in relation to

the discussion of tourism

The clear vision of the readership of this book

was reflected in its layout The chapters ended

with points that summarised topics raised in

the main discussion and provided questions

that students could use lor seminars. essays

of mock exams. There is an abundance of

charts and diagrams that are not usually found

in social sciences texts, and although I tend to

find these figures confusing rather than

illustrative, I am sure that many readers willfind them of immense value

I could hear critical voices saying "the issues

are not that simple" and objecting to the

spoon-feeding approach adopted in the book I

arg ue that th is boo k has p ut th e reader fi rst an d

met its own clearly stated objective without

compromising the rights of those who are

willing to go the extra mile,

Dr Heba Aziz

Tourisn researcher, University of Surrey,

Roehampton

Towardl lurainabk Tourilm in the lyercrt

flqion of tlepal

Paul Rogers, John Aitchison

IUCN, The World Conservation

Union 1998,

ppl0B, t5 lsBN 92-9144-032-9,

Nepal has had a tough deal in recent years in

the media and in books As a tourism

destination, pioneering'adventure tourism'

and creating a mass market for trekkers and

climbers in the highest and most dangerous

regions on this planet, its reputation has been

a double-edged sword From being the

'Shangri-La'of the East, a haven forconsumption-tired hippies and affluent,

AN Letter 39 Vol 7 No I November 2000



Reviews

spiritual-enrichment seeklng trekkers, not to

meniion the ultimate dream for any climber, it

has grown to be connected in recent years

with images of complete saturation 'The

Kleenex trail', leading to Everest and

Annapurna, abandoned corpses and climbinggear littering Everest and the ever rising

mountain of plastic bottles, bags and

excrement. As a trek leader, taking groups t0

lhe Everest regions over a number of years

(albeit in the winter off-season, and albeit

trying to implement sustainable practices) |

could be accused of contributing to the

Droblem 0n the other hand, I know I am not

alone in feeling a strong attachment,

commitment. res0ect and interest for the

country and its people and as a result, a need

to balance out some of the over generalised

and exaggerated statements in the press, and

in some cases books? , branding Nepal as a

destination pioneering the most negative

environmental impacts of mountain tourism.

I was thus encouraged to find that a four year

research project was taking place in and

around the Sagarmatha National Park,

addressing the economic, environmental, and

socio-cultural impact of tourism, I was hoping

that this might provide an up to date, detailed

account of some of the more sensrtive and

intricate dynamics of tourism in the region,

not as yet focused on by other writers, backed

up by hard evidence and some useful

statistics. The publication reviewed here is the

s u m mary 0f the fi nd i ngs of that research,

The study concentrates specitically on the

future trends and needs with regard to

ecotourism in the area One has to pay tribute

to the effort and intricacies of a Western

research team collecting detailed data over

such a long period of trme in a particular,

remote mountain region in Asia. lt is also

necessary t0 be aware of the dilemma 0f

presenting the wealth of findings of such long-

term research to a general, non-academic

audience, in summarised form. Where are the

limits of statistical information so as not to

bore the reader? How can it be presented in an

exciting and attractive way? How can it be

topical and relevant?

In this respect the book would have benefited

from a clearer perspective as to whom it is

aimed at and what it is trying t0 achieve. lt

could have appealed to the public with an

interest in Nepal, addressin0 some of the

myths of 'Shangri-La', as well as some of the

environmental scaremongering (not denying

the seriousness of the issue). ln pafiicular it

would have been good to include more local

voices and ooinions. some of the socio-

cultural intricacies, and also abandoning the

academic reDort lormat in favour of a more

attractive and readable prose style. lt could

also have included more powerful images and

ph0t0graphs to illustrate statements As an

academic piece of work, even as a summary, it

proves interesting reading but disappointing

on the whole, lt abounds with general

statements and facts (presumably trying to be

brief), unsupported by statistics, which to alarge extent an interested and informed

nonacademic repeat visitor to the region may

already be aware of. As such it surely fails to do

justice to the original research which must be

brimmin g with worthwhile statistics, collected

ove r the fou r year peri od.

For example under Environmental lmpacts it is

mentioned that 'between 1993 and 1996

lodges halved their consumption of fuel wood

(as a result of the introduction of electrrcity)

while households reported reducing

consumption by over two-thirds' lt does notmention any figures. The words 'several and

many' are often used but figures are not

available 0n page 75, under Economic

lmpacts it states that a'great deal (how

much?) of labour continues to be utilised lor

little financial reward (how much?), while

substantial proiits (how much?) are enjoyed

by far smaller numbers' (how many?) For

someone who would wish to make a watertight

argument that tourism, even ecotourism, does

not address the issue of poverty and equality ol

distribution, there is little hard evidence to use

as back uo. Questions such as what does

'poor' or'wealthy' in the context of Nepal

mean, or whether it might have anything to do

with the ethnic dynamics in the region. pose

themselves and remain largely unanswered

The most helolul asoect of this work is the last

chapter on Review and Reflections and the

conclusion thatthe tourism that has develooed

in the Solu-Khumbu region cannot be

described as 'a model form of ecotourism'. In

the light of the debate on whether ecotourism

is a 'threat or a blessing' 0r whether any

tourism in remote eco-systems per se could be

described as 'ecotourism', it is important to

have recourse to evidence in the field which

shows the dangers of using an ill-defined

concept of ecotourism as a way of

implementing sustainable tourism

Angela Kalisch

Policy Co-ordinatot Fair Trade in Tourism,

Tourism Concern

6lobal Touritm - Ihe llext Decade

William Theobald (ed.)

Butterworth-Heinemann 1 995, pbk,

395 PP, /18.99 ISBN 0 750623535

Global tourism pulls together work from a

number of leading researchers in the field of

tourism to provide an insight into a variety of

important issues surrounding the sustainable

development of tourism Disciplines include

anthropology, economics, environmental

science, geography, marketing, political

science, psychol0gy, public administration,

sociology and urban planningThe purpose 0f the book is to present critical

issues, problems and opportunities {acing the

tourism industry. Some of '.he issues cover

general areas, such as the analysis of positive

and negative impacts of tourism, by Brian

Archer and Chris Cooper while other issues are

very specific, witness the study by Myriam

Janses-Verbeke of 'the synergy between

shopping and tourism: the Japanese

experience'. The majorlty of the impacts

included relate to socio-cultural effects with

little on environmental or economic im0acts.The lack of economic analysis means there is

virtually no attempt to address a fundamental

tension in tourism, that of the needs of the

tourism operators to fulfil the demand for

tourism, in a highly competitive market and the

needs of the hosts to improve their economic

development The next decade oi global

tourism will have to take on board the

increasing number of visitors to destinations

which are badly equipped to mitigate the

negative impacts, and that the operators in a

global economy have no incentive to mitigatetheir actions forthe local population.

Having identified a variety of problems the

book goes on to provide a number of examples

of management and policy questions, These

provide s0me cogent responses to pervading

issues such as privatisation and small scale

tourism enterprises by Valene Smith and

management issues on tourism carrying

capacity by Peter Williams and Alison Gill. This

is followed with some papers 0n planning and

development, again focusing on a variety of

issues including a very helpful paper on the useof government incentives by Stephen Wanhill.

As a text attempting to examine issues for the

future it is surprising that there is no comment

on the changes being wrought by

developments in technology, though a fast

developing area it does have enormous

implications forthe tourist industry.

0n the whole the book orovides a useful textfor

undergraduates which encourages them to

reflect on the potential of the industry. The

international perspective it adopts is vital if one

is to understand the dynamics of increased

0l0balisation. lt analyses specific topics of

interest not onlyto students of tourism but also

professionals working to develop the industry,

Jayne Forbes

Lecturer in tourism at the London College

of Printing and Distributive Trades and a

Member of Tourism Concern's Council




Dossiers and Monogra s

"wucru- I

Jesupatham

Samuel D.& Seifert-Grazin, Jorg

1999

Tourism at the Crossroads

C hal I en ges to D ev e lopin g C ountrie sby the New World Trade Order

EQUATIONS,TourismWatch and

epd Entwicklungs- Politik.

EQUATIONS

March 2000

Continuing Saga ofMarginalisation

A Dossier on Women

and Tburism

EQUATIONSMarch 2000

Illustrations: Case studies ondevelopment and the coastTilmatti, Kannur, P itchavaram,Baclovaters of Keralam

EQUATIONSMarch 2000

Coastal Tourismin Tamilnadu

E0UATIONS is a non-profit organisation established for

research, training, and the promotion of holistic tourism.

We work towards transforming the inherently exploitative

nature of mass commercial tourism We question the real

benefits of tourism to the host communities as well as its

s0cio-cultural and ec0n0mic impacts 0ur activities include

documentation, publicati0n, research, seminars and the

investigation ol alternative t0urism p0licies and structures,

Our Visi.on Fw Tlruri.sttt.

E0UATI0NS seeks a world where wealth. resources and

benelits are much more equitably distributed between

North and South. Our vision of tourism fits within that

framework. While there is no one transposable model

which will work in all situations, we are working toward

tourism which

0 brings economic benefits directly to all segments of the hostcommunity, particularly including women and indigenous

pe0pres;

is subject to local, democratic control, so that communities

are making their own decisions about howtourism should be

permitled and regulated

is integrated into olher community activilies, so thal it is

culturally appr0priate and sensitive to the inequities between

hosts and guests.

I enriches both host (economically, developmentally and

terms of control) and guests (culturally, re-creationally).

This is in contrast to many current tourism models,

which are imposed from the North, require the extensive

use of imports, are overly commercialised, and

reinf orce inequities ratherthan challenges them.

EQUATI0NS sees tourism not as a means to bring

Southern communities into the Northern mainstream,

bul rather as one of the ways to work toward a more just

w0fl0,

EOUATIONS

Managing Commitlee

President L. Antonysamy

Secretary Mahesh Lobo

Treasurer lvo Rodrigues

Coordinalor

K T Suresh

Dy. Coordinalor

Hari babu

ANLelter Team

Editor

K T Suresh

Editorial Team

Nina Rao

T T Sreekumar

Rosemary Viswanath

Haribabu

Design and layout

Verba Network Services

Illustrations

Sindhu Mathew

.Jl

.-,

EQUATIONSMarch 2000

Documentation UpdateAnnual lssue

EQUATIONSMarch 2000

Karnataka Coast:A .'Ltse fot' better protection

EQUATIONSMarch 2000

Tidal Water bodies:Abandoned Children of the Coa.st

Copies are available at

EQUATTONSPost Box 7512, New Thippasandra Post, Bangalore

E-mail : info@equitabl etourism.org

f -:-iill

iiI s*..' ii'-rd'.*".^i

eF

- 560 075



Continuing S agu of Murginulisution

A Dossier on Women and Tourism

by EQUATIONS

Suggested Contribution :

Indian Contribution; Rs. 500/-

Foreign Contribution : US$15, UK f l0

Tourism Development based on resources, be it human or natural,

invariably results in changes and increases pressure on the

available resourccs at most ofthe tourist destinations. The change

in thc land use pattern, hike in comrnodity prices, a decrease in the

availability of traditional job opportunities etc, affect men andwomen very differently. The debate in tourism development

however, does not address these issues in general and when itcomes to addressing women's issues, prostitution, the most visiblemanifestation of women's marginalisation, gets more prominence.

EQUATIONS has been in the past years trying to look more

explicitly at these issues from the women's perspective.

EQUATIONS documents, researches, and publishes the impacts

of tourism on women to bring to the attention of groups working on

gcnder issues so that the women's issues that relate to tourism gets

wider attention and oersoective. This dossier is an outcome ofour

Tourism at the GrossroadsGhallenges to Developing Gountries

efforts to bring forth our concern on tourism-related womcn's

issues in the forrn of articles, written by various authors and

research undertaken by EQUATIONS in the last f'ew years

Our aimis to share

ourconcern

with othergroups, individuals,

institutions, academicians, and activists involved in women's

issues; to initiate a debate at the national levcl; and to ultirratclyinfluence pcilicies on women in general and tourism policies in

particular

by the New World Trade 0rder

Price : Rs. 375/- (19.00 DM/9.71 Euro)

Authors

Jorg Seifert-Granzin, Werkstatt Okonomie, Heidelberg

D. Samuel Jesupatham, Indian Social Institute, Bangalore

Published by EQUATIONS, Tourism Watch, and cpd Entwicklungs-Politik

The new world trade order under the World Trade Organisation(WTO-OMC) is a special challenge to tourism-critical groups and

organizations. For the hrst time, trade in services - and so

particularly tourism - and the protection of intellectual propefty

rights, have been subjected to the free trade doctrine, alongside

internationally traded goods. Tourisnr Watch and EQUATIONS

have therefore initiated this study to analyse the consequences ofthis change for tourism in developing countries. Options for a

world trade order arc to be identified and a course charted for a

sustainable and self-determined devclopment in tourism too.

The present study sheds light on the legal bases ofthc new worldtrade order, documents the progress ofliberalization in this sector,

names its rjsks and makesproposals

for refonnIt takes account

ofsectoral problems in developing countries in general and the

Three problems play a pronrinent role here. On the one hand, thc

General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) intervenes

deeply into areas of national and confederal autonomy; on the

other, structures enabling the participating of all concerned are

also lacking. Secondly, human rights violations in the field oftourism pose a fundamental question to the new world trade order.

Thirdly, the agreement has serious gaps regarding the proccss ofirnplementation of the WTO-OMC's commitment to sustainable

development and a sparing use of natural resources. Reform

proposals have been drawn up for all three areas. According to this

srudy, their implementation is an important precondition for the

development ofan acceptable form oftourism.

anletter volume 7 issue 1-nov 2000-equations

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