GUWAHATI, Aug 25 - The growth of responsible tourism is interlinked with the local community�s involvement and their welfare, as both go hand in hand. There is also an urgent need to make the local communities realise the benefits of sustainable use of natural resources so that they are dissuaded from using those resources for commercial purposes.
These were the observations made by Dr Kelly Bricker, Professor and Director of Parks, Recreation and Tourism in the University of Utah, during a discussion with tour operators of the region here on Thursday.
Elaborating on the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, which manages the global standards for sustainable travel and tourism and acts as the international accreditation body for sustainable tourism certification, Dr Bricker said it is imperative for the tourism sector worldwide to come up with a common language about sustainability in tourism.
�Tourism is an amazing field with great potential. The negativities � or for that matter any cornerstone � have to be dealt with effectively with greater community participation,� she said, throwing light on some successful models and best practices adopted in many parts of the world.
Tour operators and conservationists dwelt at length on the possibilities in the NE tourism sector, which remains largely unexplored. Infrastructure and socio-political instability are some of the main hindrances to the growth of tourism in the region, said a participant.
The interaction was organised by the Public Affairs Officer of the US Consulate General, Kolkata.
