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At the
Crossroads (K.T.Suresh, (1998), ANLetter, Vol. 5 Issue 4, Vol. 6
Issue 1 and March)
Tourism
in our country like many other sectors of the Indian Economy is at the
crossroads. At one level the new BIP-lead government in its National
Agenda for Governance states the following in its policy for Tourism,
the BIP recognises the importance of tourism as a generator of jobs
and foreign exchange. Its Government will:
- Promote
tourism as a way to have a more meaningful and wider understanding
of India and its people.
- Evolve
a national policy for tourism to provide needed infrastructure such
as hotels, transports and removal of bureaucratic impediments.
- Create
a regulatory mechanism to avoid long-term damage to the heritage and
the environment.
- Take
care of the pilgrimage component of tourism by ensuring the cleanliness
basic facilities, etc at pilgrimage centers of all sects.
- Shift
the exclusive emphasis from five-star tourism to tourism for the masses.
- Enable
India to have its rightful share in the growing global tourism industry,
while ensuring that Indian culture, heritage and values are preserved
and projected.
Not so subtle shifts in the focus of the new policy to be implemented!
Now we can read here the areas of conflict, beginning with the employment
and foreign exchange objectives, strengthening of pilgrim circuits and
the values of our heritage, which will be preserved and protected.
At another level the bureaucracy, continues to maintain its stranglehold
on the policies that get translated into the realm of the possible.
Its elitist ideas on Eco-tourism, creation of Special Tourism Areas
and its fascination with the re-creation the Raj days is amusing to
say the least. A fundamental concern for the development paradigm on
which tourism is being foisted is outside ambit of these discussions.
Attempts to bring it into the discussion are seen to be diversionary
when they are in a magnanimous mood and anti-state when they are in
a hostile mood.
And the industry is willing to walk with anyone who is willing to maximise
profits. Creation of wealth has become the credo of the industry, without
concern even for the sustenance of such profits. Myopic visions for
a 'destination' has been the bane of the tourism. While there are discussions
on stakeholder analysis and incorporation of local populations at esoteric
forums, as long as they remain discussions there are no fears of radical
changes in the way that we visualise the changes on the ground.
In this issue of the ANLetter, we have brought together for you the
conflicts that are being exposed at major destinations in India. We
have covered Goa extensively, Keralam, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in our
Dairies. There are analytical articles which gives substance to our
viewpoint presented above. This issue has been late in reaching you,
we are constantly striving to keep the deadlines and will be able to
bring you the next issue in time.
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