The Responsible Imperative for Incredible India: An Approach to Adopting Responsible Tourism as a National Policy

Abstract

The chapter explores the perils of the unbridled growth of tourism and offers some approaches to optimise the benefits of tourism for the stakeholders. It also discusses the catalysing role of the COVID-19 pandemic in reorienting consumer preferences and thereby government policies towards a more responsible paradigm. India's fast-growing economy and rapid build-up of infrastructure would unleash a commensurate growth in its tourism sector and hence call for a need to approach it from the perspective of responsible tourism. It assesses the model of the Responsible Tourism initiative of Kerala based on the three pillars of environmental, economic and social responsibility. The chapter also proposes pilot initiatives at select destinations across the nation with primacy placed upon carrying capacity. It calls for reorienting the approach to the destination level instead of state-level and preparing a framework of administrative structures and financing. It also proposes a responsible tourism classification for tourism enterprises to which incentives and subsidies could be aligned to encourage onboarding.

Citation

Billa, S. (2022), "The Responsible Imperative for Incredible India: An Approach to Adopting Responsible Tourism as a National Policy", Chowdhary, N., Billa, S. and Tiwari, P. (Ed.) Indian Tourism, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 157-169. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80262-937-820221011