Image v/s Reality -

Irresponsible, International Conference Tourism in Kerala!

Sumesh Mangalassery

The news telecasted in a Malayalam (vernacular language) TV Channel, Amrita TV, 26th
Feb 2007, questioned the nature of constructing an Artificial Reef in Kovalam beach by
Kerala Tourism department under Tsunami Rehabilitation Progarmme. The news says
that the artificial reef will curtail the livelihood option of fisher folk in this region and
violate the instructions of the Planning Commission of India for utilising tsunami aid.
This gives an update to the paradox of present discussions and practices of Responsible
Tourism in Kerala. This news has more relevance in the context of the “Incredible India
Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations” to be held
from March 21st – 24th in Kochi, Kerala.

The fishermen communities have already raised their voices against the project and they
are on the warpath with department of tourism. They are demanding to conduct a careful
analysis and assessment of potential sea erosion of the neighboring fishing villages before
implementing the project.

‘This is a clear cut case of Tsunami funds being used for the benefit of the tourism lobby
in the state’, said T Peter, President of the Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation
(KSMTF). ‘We are raising fundamental questions here; who wants the reef and why?
And are there any benefits to the fishing community’, he questioned. He also pointed out
that these questions were never addressed at any stage and there were no consultation
with local communities.

On the contrary: Peter argues that fishing communities in Kovalam are likely to lose their
livelihoods as a result. Community based shore–seine fishing in the area will be curtailed
and at least 500 people will lose their livelihood options. ‘The fish breeding ground will
be used for ‘sport fishing’ by tourists and will be of little use to the local fish workers’,
clarified Peter.

It is interesting to know that Kovalam is one of the destinations selected for the
implementation of Responsible Tourism in Kerala in the first phase. According to the
Responsible Tourism Guidelines Manual Of Kerala Tourism, they constituted a
Destination Level Responsible Tourism Committee (DLRTC) in Kovalam and some of
its aims and objectives are to lead the participatory planning process at the destination for
the decisions and actions for the implementation that ensure the transparency and
accountability of the programme. The above said project was not discussed or approved
in the DLRTC. Many of the committee members are not even aware of the project. It
shows that the Destination Level Committee formed for Responsible Tourism is a silent
spectator and they do not have any role in the tourism development in Kovalam.

In the context of these contradictions, it is very important to analyze “Incredible India

Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations” being
organised by Kerala Tourism and International Centre for Responsible Tourism (India),
with India Tourism as partner. According to the organizers, the Conference will be a key
global initiative to help the tourism industry and all its stakeholders to discuss and debate
important developments in the field. The “efforts” of Kerala Tourism in this direction
will also be explored in the conference.

But there is very evident contradiction in the way they are organizing the conference and
its promises. The conference excludes very important stakeholders from the discussions
and seems to be an ‘event for elites’.

The registration fee for the conference itself is a testimony for this argument. Even the
reduced fee is equivalent to Indian Rupees 5,000 (approximately GBP 63), which is still
beyond the reach of many local ‘stakeholders’ (forget about the image of India as a new
economic power and its GDP growth). This conference is not inclusive and accessible to
most of the local stakeholders and civil society organizations in Kerala. The list of
accommodation facilities available for the participants is mostly star hotel category and
big players (Some of them are not affordable for even for the foreign delegates).

The programme schedule of the conference advertised “Mararikulam as an emerging

beach destination”. But the present reality in this area shows that the conference
organizers underestimate the socio-cultural and economic impact of tourism on local
communities. While they say “Mararikulam is about one local entrepreneur kick starting
a destination. It is also about the emerging opportunities for the local community”, the
experience of the local community is quite different. Tourism in this area has caused a
real estate boom and the local entrepreneur mentioned has set a trend which resulted in
market induced displacement of fisher folk from the area. The people who sold their land
and moved away from the coast have found themselves alienated in the new environment
which demands total change to their centuries’ old practice of living and with no financial
benefit since the prices have sky rocketed 2 - 5 kilometers inward as well, due to the new
demand.

The way the tourism activities are spanning out in Mararikulam is going to be detrimental
to the local population in particular. Money is being promoted as an incentive and
attraction to brainwash the minds of coastal people marginalized by fear of the vagaries
of nature, inconsistent income availability from their livelihood and their poverty to sell
their land close to the beach at a very high price.

Tenson, a 52 year old local fisherman had stayed along the coast of Mararikulam North
all his life and he owned 20 cent property close to the beach. He recently sold his land to
real estate brokers acting as binami for Tourism lobby after 38 people came to his house
together to convince him to sell his property ”How can a poor fishermen like me having
little exposure and knowledge of outside world and negotiation skills resist the
convincing tactics of 38 people for three and half hours. They made me agree to sell the
land and gave me advance on the spot” He asked with tears.

“I wanted to return back the advance and get out of the agreement. But even after
continuous perusal they did not turn up for six months which was the period in which I
could walk out of the agreement returning the advance. So after 6 months I finally had to
relent to transfer my property into their hands” he explained.

Lal Koyilparambil, state president of Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation

pointed out that “The privatisation of public land had already taken place by the player
who has promoted Marari as a ‘fishing village virgin beach destination’. The agitation by
local people resulted in the Revenue department of Kerala Government having to send a
special task force to reclaim the public land”.

It is important to see the contradictions in the present tourism policies and legislation of
the Kerala Tourism, which are not to be addressed at the conference. The Kerala Tourism
(Conservation and preservation of Tourism Area) Act 2005 is just one example. This act
is curtailing many of the very important constitutional powers of the Local Self
Governments (LSG) and cutting the scope of local participation in the decision making
and implementation level. This act is suggesting Special Tourism Zones, concentrating
all the powers to the state level bureaucratic committee in which there is no
representation of elected representatives. The withdrawal of this particular legislation is
the long standing demand of the Kerala civil society.

The website of the conference says that Kerala, dubbed ‘God’s own country’, “has long
been hailed as a leading example in responsible tourism, an image which Kerala’s
Department of Tourism has been keenly promoting for a number of years”. In reality,
however, most of the tourism development in Kerala is neither socially responsible nor
environmentally friendly. The industry’s rapid and unregulated growth, facilitated by
anti-people, weak policy and lack of enforcement of existing legislation, is leading to the
social and economic marginalization of local communities, destruction of natural
resources and the environment. The violations of the Coastal Regulation Zone
notification by hotels and resorts are rampant in the state.

The current discussions strangely identified “local sourcing” as a major issue. Kerala is a
well known consumer state importing major portion of food grains, vegetables and diary
products from its neibouring state like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. For e.g. the current
shortage in milk procurement in Kerala is estimated at 3 lakh (0.3 million) liters per day.
So it is illogical to say that the producers need a tourism market to cater their marketing
requirements. And we should consider the vulnerable nature of tourism before promoting
such a dependency for the poor farmers.

Neither the conference nor the Responsible Tourism initiative in the state addresses any
of the serious problems of the “Kerala model of tourism development’ in its agenda. At
the same time, this ill affected model demonstrates how unregulated and weak policies
are facilitated unsustainable tourism development in the state which alienated local
population especially marginalized from their peaceful life and livelihood options.

This shows that there is no paradigm shift in the way Kerala is developing its tourism
sector. The current discussions are just a hype to change the fading images of the Kerala
tourism and portray it as a responsible destination in the international market. But the
organizers should remember that they are also using people’s tax money for organizing
such a conference.

The concerns of Kerala civil society are not on the conference agenda and neither are
they likely to be addressed during the package tours for participants (Pre and Post Mart
Tours) advertised on the conference website. Unless they are addressing these concerns
and learn from the realities, this will remain just as an occasion for “Irresponsible
International Conference Tourism in Kerala” and better business for the tour operators
and hotels involved.
(Sumesh Mangalassery is an active member of KABANI – the other direction, A
voluntary organization working on tourism issues. He can be contacted at:
sumeshmang@yahoomail.com )