Sustainable Tourism - Trending Now for Better Tomorrow

The article throws light on the What Why and How of Sustainable Tourism and features FASTTalks initiatives to make it happen on ground reality through its SEE Model and SIP program.

Sustainability Matters

Many years ago people use to travel off shores in search for culinary richness of regions to trade. Spices, wine,local fruits,olive oil etc use to the currencies of that barter era and it continued in the time of silk route days and continued to be the center of attraction during mughals too. As per Wikipedia during mughals Indian culinary and diversity was so strong that it actually helped the GDP to grow larger than the Europe and was placed at 24.4% of world GDP, making Mughal India, the most strongest economic power of those days ahead of China.Richness of Indian culture, culinary and agri-business were the prime contributors.This makes us rethink why in modern era we still cant make it happen with an independent largest democratic nation and growing Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) and increasing inter state domestic travel.

The World Travel & Tourism Council calculated that tourism generated ₹15.24 lakh crore (US$230 billion) or 9.4% of the nation's GDP in 2017 and supported 41.622 million jobs, 8% of its total employment. The sector is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 6.9% to ₹32.05 lakh crore (US$490 billion) by 2028 (9.9% of GDP).

Global economists forecast an upward trend in international tourism growth.With this mass tourism effect globally India is no alien destination and being the seventh largest region on this planet will have to take the load factor in the name of economic and local/regional infrastructural development. Travel and Tourism Sector, which is world's largest and fastest growing industry, this continuous growth will surely gonna bring great stress on remaining biologically diverse habitats and indigenous cultures,which are often used to support mass tourism.

FASTTalks is on a mission to change the way people travel and bring the stakeholders of the trade more responsible towards a greener planet and sustainable growth.Through its SEE model (Social,Economical and Environmental impact on destinations) we aim to help tour operators, airlines,hoteliers,taxi/coach operators,restaurateurs and ultimately the Tourists contribute towards a more sustainable impact on destinations they sell or travel thus reducing not only the carbon footprints but also protecting the tourism as an industry for posterity. Sustainable tourism can be attained in many ways specially by the service providers :

Top Five ways compiled are as follows :

1. Educating Travelers of the culture, politics, and economy of the communities visited.

2. Injecting a sense of respect about local cultures, expectations,culinary habits,religious beliefs and assumptions.

3. Supporting the integrity of local cultures by favoring businesses which conserve cultural heritage and traditional values.

4. Supporting local economies by purchasing local handicrafts and participating with small, local businesses for trade.

5. Conserving resources by seeking out businesses that are environmentally conscious, and by using the least possible amount of non-renewable resources.Charity begins at home and FASTTalks here specializes in guiding the tourism stakeholders like hoteliers and tour operators to be more energy efficient right from their offices and educate taxi/coach operators to help build a sustainable transport system.

If you feel you can make a difference and would like to be the change, join today the FAST SIP program which aims at hand holding every stakeholder in the trade on a long term basis with ample benefits to their operating cost reduction, training programs,brand building, satisfying experience both for internal and external customers and ultimately become the driver of sustainability in their own region or destination. The SIP program is now open for enrollment in India and stands for Sustainability Initiative Program for more details you can connect with FASTTalks on pendown[at]fasttalks.in

Lets groove into a more greener planet with a FAST pledge : “I don't wanna leave my carbon footprints for posterity, instead I'll try to neutralize them before I go.”

About Author : Vineet Mohan is an sustainability expert panelist with FASTTalks.in and has immense experience in implementing related projects. He is also available as a keynote speaker on the subject of sustainability.

#responsibletravel #globaltourism #india #sustainabletourism #chasethechange #sustainabilitymatters

DATA SOURCE CREDIT :

Wikipedia | The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) | Ministry of Tourism, India | FASTTalks Media Desk