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Keynote Address to
the 7th
Annual Convention of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI)
16-18
January 2009, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
The 2009
ATOAI Convention was an excellent opportunity to hear views on the
future of adventure tourism in India, and exchange experience and
perceptions of the opportunities and challenges ahead. The following
notes are an outline of the Keynote Address, which was accompanied with
relevant slides (see slideshow opposite).
As a guest
invited to give an outsider’s perspective, it was easy to recall
wonderful personal experiences exploring the Indian Himalayas over the
past 25 years, and also highlight some of the relevant examples of
adventure tourism in protected areas in other parts of the world. What
was clear at the Convention, is that adventure tourism is already a
major part of India’s tourism industry, and ATOAI has been a leader of
setting and promoting good practice. What was also clear is the
considerable potential for adventure tourism to promote sustainable
development; and that senior figures in the National and the Uttarakhand
State Governments want to exploit that potential.
What was
less easy to share, is the experience of those foreign operators who
find the process and cost of obtaining permits in India a major
obstacle. Prior to the Convention, views had been sought from European
adventure operators with experience of India. From India’s perspective,
the most worrying view was from a major European company with a turnover
in excess of IND 200 million, sending 600+ clients to around 40 overseas
destinations, and which avoids India because of the bureaucracy
associated with expedition permits and ‘X’ visas (see ‘Two Views’
panel). On a more positive note, another European company provided
specific comments and suggestions for improvements on issues such as
Open Peaks and restrictions on the use of GPS and satellite telephones
(see ‘Two Views’ panel). Seeking and evaluating constructive comments
like these is a vital part of the process of improving arrangements for
adventure tourism in India.
Given the
title of the Convention, ‘The New Face of Adventure Travel’, the
starting point for the Keynote was to ask why a new face is needed,
which was further broken down to:
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What is the potential for adventure tourism in India?
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What is best practice around the world? And,
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Can India improve in terms of benefiting from the potential and
using best practice?
It seemed
that the distinguished guests, participants, hosts, and organizers of
the Convention had agreed with the Honorable Chief Minister Uttarakhand,
who said in his opening remarks that the potential was very
considerable, and that the Convention should have meaningful interaction
to move forward. Hence, it seemed as if I was following the right lines
with my initial questions, and that it was expected that progress would
be made.
Having
highlighted the global economic value of international tourism (to which
should be added domestic tourism), and established an indication of the
percentage of the adventure tourism sector, it seemed more than self
evident that India has considerable scope to increase its share of what
is a very valuable international market; and in addition, that an
increase in market share could make a significant contribution towards
sustainable development in rural and mountain communities (which would
be in line with requests for action made in United Nations Resolutions
calling for support for sustainable development).
Fortunately, there is a lot of experience that India can draw upon to
minimize the potential threats and maximize the benefits of adventure
tourism. Examples mentioned included the management of National Parks
in North American and the United Kingdom (which cope with annual visitor
numbers measured in 10’s of millions and enforce laws to protect
nature), and the economic development in the European Alps (which was
almost zero at the end of the 2nd World War, but now accounts for around
half the global value of international tourism in mountain areas).
Naturally, there may be different views on the most desirable or optimum
way to take advantage of the opportunities and benefits, especially with
respect to protection of the natural environment and retaining the
traditional characteristics of building in and around natural
landscapes. But again, there was a shared view at the Convention
regarding the importance of preserving the environment and the
traditional character of the associated built environment.
Hence, two
key points for all concerned, are that visits to protected areas are an
effective way to gain support and resources for protecting those areas,
and that such visits must follow the principles of sustainable
development and responsible tourism (e.g. as set out in ‘Guidelines for
Planning and Managing Mountain Protected Areas’ IUCN 2004, and
‘Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas’ IUCN 2002). It should also be
remembered that the inspiration for creating the world’s first national
parks and other protected areas came from recreationists such as
climbers and mountaineers, who recognized the need to protect and
preserve those areas for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.
Hence, visitors to protected areas should be seen as an important part
of the solution for the protection and enjoyment of nature, which
highlights the very important contribution that responsible adventure
tourism can make to protect the environment and sustainable development.
Recalling
India’s space programme, including the success of the recent lunar probe
and the 10-year plan for a manned flight to the Moon, a parallel with
adventure tourism was drawn with regard to having a widely agreed
long-term aim, developing a ‘road map’ to achieve the aim and supporting
objectives, and a step by step action plan.
(up
to next coloum)
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download the
Keynote Address as a .pdf
download the slide presentation as a .pdf
continued
from bottom of previous column:
A further
parallel was made by recalling the cooperation and commitment shown by a
small group of climbers from India, Pakistan and the UK; who, as part of
the UN International Year of Mountains in 2002, had climbed peaks in
Switzerland to draw attention to the need to protect mountain
environments and the value of transboundary protected areas (also known
as peace parks - see ‘Transboundary Protected Areas for Peace and
Co-operation’ IUCN 2001) as a means to resolve disputed borders. This
initiative was apparently the first time climbers from India and
Pakistan had formed to team to climb a mountain together, which was an
excellent demonstration of cooperation and friendship. Also, Jamie
Andrew from Scotland, as a quadruple amputee, brought an additional
dimension to the team’s cooperation and determination; and provided a
practical example that anything is possible by breaking big challenges
into small steps.
Recalling
experience of the administrative procedures to obtain peak permits for
trips in India, it was noted that the internet is now the biggest way
people locate and book services. Attention was draw to the simplicity
of the Google search page, which is the most popular webpage in the
world, and has a 75% market share in Europe and North America. It is
forecast that Google will soon become the world’s biggest advertiser (by
revenue). The laws in India concerning access to mountains and national
parks were passed in the 1970’s, since when many changes have taken
place in India including the emergence of a body of experienced
adventure tour operators, new capacities and expectations in the State
Governments, and a better understanding of the potential of tourism and
recreation to support sustainable development in rural and mountain
communities.
Noting the
present situation, the turmoil in international banking and the recent
tragic terrorist attacks in Mumbai have already had a negative impact on
business and luxury tourism travel to India. However, the adventure
tourism sector may well be less affected by these events; and given the
unrealized potential in India, could even grow if unnecessary
bureaucratic obstacles can be removed and more best practice adopted.
Hence, the Convention is timely and subsequent actions could bring about
significant improvements.
As a
reminder of the wonderful opportunities for mountaineering in India, the
Keynote Address ended with a short video of images and music of an
alpine-style climbing trip to Sikkim. In addition to giving sincere
thanks to all those who had helped realize the trips I have made in the
Indian Himalayas, the closing remarks of the Keynote Address were to
thank the distinguished guests, hosts, organizers and participants for
their attention and the opportunity to make a small contribution to the
Convention; and to wish all concerned well for the discussions that
would follow. As a contribution to potential recommendations that might
be agreed by the Convention, it was mentioned that colleagues in Britain
and Switzerland had indicated a willingness to respond if requests are
made to help with guide training and mountain rescue. These are areas
where there is already experience in India, and potential to reach
recognized international standards.
In terms of
the key issues raised, the final proposition was to encourage the
Convention participants to consider the following as part of their
deliberations:
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To make better use of the potential for adventure
tourism to support sustainable development.
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To learn from experience and best practice.
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To remove unnecessary obstacles to adventure tourism
in India.
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Comments on some
of the discussions during the Convention:
The
presentations and discussions that formed the main substance of
the Convention were wide ranging and included many expert
contributions. Two areas that I would like to comment on are:
Carrying
capacity, litter and waste management
There are
different ways to assess and manage carrying capacity. A total
ban on visitors is not a means to promote sustainable
development and the protection of nature. Litter and waste
management can be a problem in popular areas, and there are many
examples of how these problems have been solved. Visitor
education is a vital part of this, backed up where necessary
with properly enforced penalties.
Glacier retreat
in the Himalayas
The receding Gangotri Glacier was mentioned, and
it was suggested that this was connected to the number of people
who trek to the snout of the glacier. However, it is widely
accepted that the worldwide retreat in glaciers is a result of
climate change and global warming. Indeed, the day following
the Convention, the international media (e.g. see
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/19/glacier-rising-sea-levels)
was reporting the latest concerns expressed by the
World Glacier Monitoring Service, which advises
the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Recent
forecasts by the IPCC suggest that if current climate trends
continue, up to 80% of Himalayan glaciers will have disappeared
in 30-40 years. Hence, adventure tourism has an important
opportunity to help educate visitors so that they understand how
to reduce the human contribution to global warming, and also to
be prepared for the consequences of climate change. Therefore,
a key principle for all responsible managers of protected areas
around the world, is to see visitors not as part of the problem,
but as a vital part of the solution.
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