project on Responsible tourism practices in Wayanad

Introduction

The economic benefits of tourism are often incentive enough for developing and developed economies to consider tourism as a primary income generator. In today’s world the tourism industry is presented as an important development agent and an ideal economic alternative to more traditional but ecologically destructive primary and secondary sectors. This is evident in many developing economies, which are disadvantage by lack of infrastructure, location, and economic status. Tourism is sought as an opportunity to more beyond cycles of poverty toward a better life and sustainable means to stimulate the developing economies.

The effect of large scale tourism development can also be devastating where the needs of the community are often ignored. One solution to this trend is called ‘alternative tourism development’. Within this alternative tourism framework this project will focus on community based tourism and its role in empowering local communities and rendering development that is more participatory, self reliant and process oriented.

Sustainable tourism can also result in significant positive impacts for biodiversity conservation, while also delivering social and economic benefits to host communities.

Revenue rising for local communities: Tourism is an opportunity for business development and job creation, as well as for stimulation of investment and support for local services, even in remote communities.

Education / awareness rising: Tourism can help promote conservation by raising awareness amongst visitors through well-designed interpretation programmes. It can raise the profile of biodiversity conservation at national and local levels.

Sustainable land management: Tourism can become a force for more sustainable land management in all parts of the world by providing additional or alternative forms of livelihood for farmers and rural communities that are dependent on well maintained natural resources.

Strengthening cultural appreciation: Sustainable tourism can provide self-esteem and incentives for maintaining traditional arts and crafts, traditional knowledge, and practices that contribute to the sustainable use of biological diversity. Yet, interactions between tourism and local cultural values can be complex, and tourism development can lead to the loss of access by indigenous and local communities to their land and resources as well as sacred sites.

Economic incentives for habitat protection: Tourism can bring tangible economic value to natural and cultural resources. This can result in direct income from visitor spending for their conservation, and an increase in support for conservation from local communities. Tourism already makes a major direct contribution to income for protected areas and other attractions, through entry fees, permits, concessions, etc., which can be invested in capacity building programmes for local communities to manage protected areas.

Sustainable tourism policies and government

If site or destination plans are the “what” of sustainable tourism, tourism policies and strategies are the “how” – they reflect the ways and means to achieve the goals and milestones for sustainability. Policies often refer to institutional setups that allow governance of tourism development. Policies may not be site-specific and may apply across all of a country’s area, while strategies are more action-oriented and often linked to a destination or region. Complementing the site/ destination plan, policies and strategies describe a future desired state (vision) and detail the necessary steps to achieve that goal.

Governments are essential in moderating negotiations between different interest groups. However, different agencies and ministries also tend to represent different groups of stakeholders, and there is a need for consistency in the inter-relation between different policies and strategies (tourism, poverty reduction and biodiversity), and levels of government.

Under this item, the tools to be used include tourism policies, inter-ministerial and inter-agency cooperation mechanisms, partnerships that allow park agencies to work with industry and retain parts of revenues for conservation and local development, and training for professionals and communities.

Continuity is a challenge for sustainable tourism development policies and strategies, with political evolutions and alternating parties. Inter-ministerial working groups, multi-partisan agreements and institutionalized multi-stakeholder committees can act as stewards for strategies and policies, allowing for better governance of sustainable tourism across successive mandates and transitions, but these alliances require constant revalidation, mobilization and negotiations.

Community development through tourism 

Traditionally, tourism operations were based on dominant western models that treated the community as inferior and a means to be exploited. More recently operators have realised that the culture of the community is one of the primary attractions and that they should participate in tourism planning. And the planners also realised that the management should be sustainable so as to attract more tourist in long term vision. The mindset of tourists are changed to experience a new culture from the traditional way of tourism, that is to see an attraction.

The origin of the term “community based tourism” dates back to 1988 when Louis- Antoine dernoi acknowledged a type of tourism that fostered intercultural communication and understanding between hosts and guests. He described this as ‘community based tourism’.  It is linked to a primary concern for the natural environment via conservation while at same time the protection of the indigenous communities in areas where nature based tourism is prevalent.

Sustainable tourism seeks to solve a number of issues in the matter of community development. Firstly, local communities are heterogeneous and they do not have equal acess to the tourism planning. Or traditional tourism made them so. Sustainable tourism therefore empowers communities so that they can plan and manage their future. Secondly, communities lack the information, recourses, training and power in relation to other stakeholders’ involvement in tourism. Therefore they are open to exploitation. Practice of sustainable tourism can assist in fostering an understanding between host and guest. Thirdly, tourism to local community has been criticised for creating economic leakage. Sustainable tourism encourages economic revenue to stay within the destination as the community is more involved in all facets of planning and managing.

Tourism, development and poverty reduction

Tourism generates jobs and business opportunities for host populations, and can help reduce or eliminate poverty. Tourism is now a huge contributor to the economies of many island nations, particularly in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, East Africa and the Pacific. In 2008, travel and tourism contributed 14.8% of the Caribbean’s Gross Domestic Product and 2.15 million jobs, representing 12.9% of total employment. Over the subsequent ten years, these figures have been predicted to rise (WTTC 2009). Tourism can have significant pro-poor impacts in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). In 2004, total tourist arrivals to the 49 SIDS (both air and sea) was estimated at just over 27 million people, compared to approximately 11 million people in 1988. This translates into a cumulative increase of 145% over the 16-year period or 9% per annum. The number of people working in jobs directly related to tourism has risen from 488,000 in 1988, to almost 900,000 in 2004. Given the small size of the labour market in most SIDS, such job growth can substantially reduce unemployment in these countries (Craigwell 2007).

How can tourism benefit the poor?

Tourism is labour-intensive compared to other many other sectors, has high female and youth employment ratios, and is not necessarily import intensive. The sector has low barriers to entry, and encompasses a range of enterprises that provide opportunities for economic linkages in the local economy. The private sector and governments can take steps to strengthen the pro-poor benefits of tourism. Companies can develop stronger economic linkages, either by adapting their supply chain, or by stimulating local tourism service-providers and cultural products. There is a range of partnership models for local people to engage with tourism businesses, often utilising their land or resource rights. Governments can boost opportunities for participation by the poor by investing in improving hospitality skills, strengthening community or local tenure over resources, small business support, and infrastructure for tourist transport and services in poor areas. Governments can also create incentives for companies to invest and operate in pro-poor ways, by adapting their licensing, concessionaire, and marketing policies (ODI 2005)

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Objective of the study

1 – To know more on responsible tourism

2 – To analyze the responsible tourism practices in wayanad

3- To assess the awareness of tourists about responsible tourism

4- To assess the community development through responsible tourism in wayanad.

5- To suggest possible methods to enhance the community development through tourism.

Scope of the study

            Practicing sustainable tourism activity has gained immense coinage in current tourism industry. Being a nature based destination, having abundant flora and fauna, Wayanad district of Kerala has identified the sustainable tourism practices as the mainstay of its tourism management and promotion. Most of the destination management committees of various nature based attractions are currently trying to promote their attraction as a sustainable tourism product which helps to develop the local community economically and socially by providing employments to local people so as to keep the local economy stable and by educating them about nature and hospitality. A comprehensive study on the nuance of the community development through the sustainable tourism practices in the context of a nature based attraction such as Wayanad has immense scope in prospect.

Limitations of the study

·         As the research was carried out in summer season, most of the attractions were remains closed due to forest fire.  It makes difficult to collect questionnaire from tourists.

Chapterisation

Chapter 1- Introduction         

            The introductory chapter contains a brief on topic which research have done, objective of the study, and scope of the study and limitations of the study.

Chapter 2- Review of Literature

            Researcher briefs all the past data available on the topic through this chapter.

Chapter 3- Research methodology

            This chapter discuss about the samples and sample size of the study. And it also deals with the pattern in which research carried out.

Chapter 4- Sustainable tourism- In Wayanad context

            The discussion on this chapter begins with the idea of sustainable tourism and then discusses about the various sustainable tourism practices in wayanad.

Chapter 5- Data analysis and interpretation

            In this chapter researcher is trying to make clear on the data and statistics collected through questionnaire. This can be considering as the diagrammatic representation of the study.

Chapter 6- Findings, Suggestions and Conclusions

            This is the outcome of the research. Researcher is trying to find out the issues and problems with respect to topic and suggesting possible solutions for the same. And the researcher is also tried to conclude the study.

Chapter 7- Reference

            This chapter exhibits the books, journals, and websites referred for the study.

Chapter 8- Appendix

            This chapter shows the tools that are used in all the work.

Review of Literature

Responsible tourism

Responsible Tourism is regarded as behaviour. It is more than a form of tourism as it represents an approach to engaging with tourism, be that as a tourist, a business, and locals at a destination or any other tourism stakeholder. It emphasizes that all stakeholders are responsible for the kind of tourism they develop or engage in. Whilst different groups will see responsibility in different ways, the shared understanding is that responsible tourism should entail an improvement in tourism. Tourism should become ‘better’ as a result of the responsible tourism approach.

Within the notion of betterment resides the acknowledgement that conflicting interests need to be balanced. However, the objective is to create better places for people to live in and to visit. Importantly, there is no blueprint for responsible tourism: what is deemed responsible may differ depending on places and cultures. Responsible Tourism is an aspiration that can be realized in different ways in different originating markets and in the diverse destinations of the world.

Focusing in particular on businesses, according to the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism, it will have the following characteristics.

§  minimizes negative economic, environmental, and social impacts

§  generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry

§  involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances

§  makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world’s diversity

§  provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues

§  provides access for people with disabilities and

§  It is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

Definition of sustainable tourism

Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves. Sustainable tourism is not the same as ecotourism. The notion that tourism could be "sustainable" is part of the dialogue on development. The goal is that development meet the needs of the present tourists and locals while protecting future opportunities.What examples of tourism have been around long enough that we can say that the practice is sustainable? For cynics, the term has little meaning. They say that the concept is driven top-down and has few practical examples and that it's similar to having your cake and eating it too.

Global economists forecast continuing international tourism growth, ranging between 3 and 6 percent annually, depending on the location. As one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries, this continuous growth will place great stress on remaining biologically diverse habitats and indigenous cultures, which are often used to support mass tourism. Tourists who promote sustainable tourism are sensitive to these dangers and seek to protect tourist destinations, and to protect tourism as an industry. Sustainable tourists can reduce the impact of tourism in many ways:

§  informing themselves of the culture, politics, and economy of the communities visited

§  anticipating and respecting local cultures, expectations and assumptions

§  contributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance

§  supporting the integrity of local cultures by favoring businesses which conserve cultural heritage and traditional values

§  supporting local economies by purchasing local goods and participating with small, local businesses

§  conserving resources by seeking out businesses that are environmentally conscious, and by using the least possible amount of non-renewable resources

Increasingly, destinations and tourism operations are endorsing and following "responsible tourism" as a pathway towards sustainable tourism. Responsible tourism and sustainable tourism have an identical goal, that of sustainable development. The pillars of responsible tourism are therefore the same as those of sustainable tourism – environmental integrity, social justice and economic development. The major difference between the two is that, in responsible tourism, individuals, organisations and businesses are asked to take responsibility for their actions and the impacts of their actions. This shift in emphasis has taken place because some stakeholders feel that insufficient progress towards realising sustainable tourism has been made since the Earth Summit in Rio. This is partly because everyone has been expecting others to behave in a sustainable manner. The emphasis on responsibility in responsible tourism means that everyone involved in tourism – government, product owners and operators, transport operators, community services, NGO’s and CBO’s, tourists, local communities, industry associations – are responsible for achieving the goals of responsible tourism.

Key principles guiding many sustainable and green tourism products and initiatives include:

·         Requiring the lowest possible consumption of non-renewable resources.

·         Sustaining the well-being of local people through employment and investment.

·         Stressing local ownership.

·         Supporting efforts to conserve the environment and reducing tourism’s carbon ‘footprint’.

·         Contributing to other local sustainable development and community initiatives.

·         Contributing to biodiversity.

Community based tourism

As tourism becomes increasingly important to communities around the world, the need to develop tourism sustainably also becomes a primary concern. Human communities represent both a primary resource upon which tourism depends, and their existence in a particular place at a particular time may be used to justify the development of tourism itself. Communities are a basic reason for tourists to travel, to experience the way of life and material products of different communities. Communities also shape the ‘natural’ landscapes which many tourists consume. Communities are, of course, also the source of tourists; tourists are drawn from particular places and social contexts which in themselves will help shape the context of the tourist’s experience in the host community.

Sustaining the community/particular communities has therefore become an essential element of sustainable tourism. The rationale of sustainable tourism development usually rests on the assurance of renewable economic, social and cultural benefits to the community and its environment. A holistic approach to sustainability requires that the continuing/improved social, cultural and economic well-being of human communities is an integral component of environmental renewal. This is equally applicable within notions of sustainable tourism; without community sustainability, tourism development cannot be expected to be sustainable. For this reason, as Taylor argues, ‘the concept of community involvement in tourism development has moved nearer to the centre of the sustainability debate’.

The concept of developing tourism sustainably for the community is not without its problems, however. While most models of sustainable development include the community as a cornerstone of the development process, the concept of community itself is not unproblematic. Whose community? How defined: in spatial/social/economic terms? Who in the community should benefit from tourism? How should the community be presented to the tourist? The nature of the community itself is also changing. Globalization and localization, increasing geographic and social mobility are questioning widely held beliefs about the composition and structure of ‘community’. Who are the ‘locals’ in the local community? Where should one place the spatial or temporal boundaries of the ‘local’ community? The emergence of a ‘global community’ also problematical the concept of a local community. Further, a spatial community, linked by bonds of common interest not place, exists within and across spatial communities.

There has been the promotion of sustainable tourism practices surrounding the management of tourist locations by locals or more concisely, the community.

This form of tourism is based on the premise that the people living next to a resource are the ones best suited to protecting it. This means that the tourism activities and businesses are developed and operated by local community members, and certainly with their consent and support.

Sustainable tourism typically involves the conservation of resources that are capitalized upon for tourism purposes, such as coral reefs and pristine forests. Locals run the businesses and are responsible for promoting the conservation messages to protect their environment.

Community-based sustainable tourism (CBST) associates the success of the sustainability of the ecotourism location to the management practices of the communities who are directly or indirectly dependent on the location for their livelihoods.

A salient feature of CBST is that local knowledge is usually utilized alongside wide general frameworks of ecotourism business models. This allows the participation of locals at the management level and typically allows a more intimate understanding of the environment. The use of local knowledge also means an easier entry level into a tourism industry for locals whose jobs or livelihoods are affected by the use of their environment as tourism locations. The involvement of locals restores the ownership of the environment to the local community and allows an alternative sustainable form of development for communities and their environments that are typically unable to support other forms of development.^]. However, recent research has found that economic linkages generated by CBST may only be sporadic, and that the linkages with agriculture are negatively affected by seasonality and by the small scale of the cultivated areas. This means that CBST may only have small-scale positive effects for these communities

Stake holders of community tourism

Stakeholders of sustainable tourism play a role in continuing this form of tourism. This can include organizations as well as individuals.

Non-governmental organizations

Non-governmental organizations are one of the stakeholders in advocating sustainable tourism. Their roles can range from spearheading sustainable tourism practices to simply doing research. University research teams and scientists can be tapped to aid in the process of planning. Such solicitation of research can be observed in the planning of Cat Ba National Park in Vietnam.

Green conventions and events are a new but growing sector and marketing point within the convention and hospitality industry. More environmentally aware organizations, corporations and government agencies are now seeking more sustainable event practices, greener hotels, restaurants and convention venues, and more energy efficient or climate neutral travel and ground transportation.

Tourists

With the advent of the internet, some traditional conventions are being replaced with virtual conventions, where the attendees remain in their home physical location and "attend" the convention by use of a web-based interface programmed for the task. This sort of "virtual" meeting eliminates all of the impacts associated with travel, accommodation, food wastage, and other necessary impacts of traditional, physical conventions.

Travel over long distances requires a large amount of time and/or energy. Generally this involves burning fossil fuels, a largely unsustainable practice and one that contributes to climate change, via CO₂ emissions.

Air travel is perhaps the worst offender in this regard, contributing to between 2 and 3% of global carbon emissions. Given a business-as-usual approach, this could be expected to rise to 5% by 2015 and 10% by 2050. Car travel is the next worst offender.

How Does Tourism Benefit Communities?

More and more communities are looking at tourism because of the many economic, environmental, and social benefits it can offer. Let’s look at each of these benefits in more detail.

1.      Economic and Employment Benefits

Tourism industry jobs are sometimes thought of as low paying, seasonal, and part-time. While some positions of this nature do exist, this is only part of the story. Tourism offers important, satisfying employment opportunities for a wide range of people, such as first-time workers and youth who benefit from entry-level positions where lifelong skills are acquired. Students and older workers returning to the workforce often appreciate the flexibility of part time and seasonal work available in the industry. Beyond these entry-level positions, many front-line supervisory and management roles are well-compensated. People who do not understand the industry may not think of these critical tourism-generated jobs: pilots, website developers, accountants, tour operators, fishing guides, resort operators, and golf and ski sector positions. The reality is that tourism offers a wide range of employment options all along the pay scale. It is also worth noting that the majority of people who work in tourism do so by choice, because of the lifestyle offered by this diverse industry. In addition, the tourism industry relies heavily on entrepreneurs. A wide variety of small businesses benefit from tourism, from bed and breakfasts, cafes and restaurants, adventure tourism companies to the less obvious – gas stations, grocery stores and marine supply stores. All of these businesses support the needs of visitors and, therefore, benefit from tourism revenue. Continued optimism exists for the future growth of small businesses reliant on tourism in BC, largely because the industry is less reliant on natural resource extraction than others. Growth in tourism businesses is largely driven by new investment from existing operators within the region and/or attracting entrepreneurs from outside the community who create and market new tourism attractions and experiences.

Thus the economic benefits from sustainable tourism to the host community can be explained as following factors:

·         Local employment

·         Poverty alleviation

·         Money generation through shopping of indigenous goods and handicrafts

    2. Social Benefits

·         Increased tourism can allow local residents to benefit from the same services and facilities developed to support tourism. In addition, local businesses typically benefit from enhanced revenue, which in turn, leads to growth in the number and size of businesses and service options for residents. For example:

·         A greater number of visitors can help local restaurants improve their range of menu offerings.

·         Local hotels may improve their amenities as business increases (e.g., meeting facilities, spa, marina, etc.)

·         The local museum may provide better displays and longer hours to accomodate visitors and locals alike.

·         Special events like music festivals, fairs and sporting events are enjoyed by residents while also potentially attracting large numbers of visitors.

·         Tourist attractions that have a strong recreation and/or outdoor focus (e.g., ski, golf, adventure) also create new facilities and opportunities for locals.

Tourists not only bring cash and physical upgrades to a community, they can bring new ideas and information which benefits local residents. In some cases, skills can also be brought to a community through organizations (e.g., Earth watch, Katimavik, Canada World Youth, etc.) that provide visitors with opportunities to participate in volunteer, research, community development and/or educational activities. The scenery, heritage, and culture of a community (sometimes taken for granted by local residents) may be of real interest to visitors. When residents see how much tourists appreciate these community assets, civic pride is nourished and locals are further inspired to preserve, develop, and share these unique treasures.

Social benefits through sustainable tourism can be list out as follows:

·         Women empowerment

·         Education to the local community

3. Environmental Benefits

Tourism, in particular nature-based tourism, can place a greater focus on the conservation of natural resources within a community through the recognition of their importance to drawing visitors and providing economic benefits. In addition, tourism activities often inform and educate visitors about the value of local ecosystems and the need to protect them. For the visitor, this knowledge can transcend to also thinking about the value of, and need to protect, the natural environment within their own communities.

Wayanad profile

Wayanad District in the north-east of Kerala, India, was formed on November 1, 1980 as the 12th district by carving out areas from Kozhikode and Kannur districts. Kalpetta is the district headquarters as well as the only municipal town in the district. The region was known as Mayakshetra (Maya's land) in the earliest records. Mayakshetra evolved into Mayanad and finally to Wayanad. The Folk etymology of the word says it is a combination of Vayal (paddy field) and Naad (land), making it 'The Land of Paddy Fields'. There are many indigenous tribals in this area. It is set high on the majestic Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100 m. It is the least populous district in Kerala.

History

According to archaeological evidence, the Wayanad(Vayal+nadu(Tamil/Malayalam)) forests have been inhabited for more than three thousand years.Wayanad has a powerful history. Historians are of the view that organised human life existed in these parts, at least ten centuries before Christ. Countless evidences about New Stone Age civilisation can be seen on the hills of Wayanad. The two caves of Ampukuthimala located between Sulthan Bathery and Ambalavayal, with pictures on their walls and pictorial writings, speak volumes of the bygone era andcivilisation. Recorded history of this district is available from the 18th century. In ancient times, this land was ruled by the Rajas of the Veda tribe. In later days, Wayanad came under the rule of the Pazhassi Rajas of Kottayam royal dynasty. When Hyder Ali becames the ruler of Mysore, he invaded Wayanad and brought it under his sway. In the days of Tipu, Wayanad was restored to the Kottayam royal dynasty. But Tipu handed over the entire Malabar region to the British, after the Sreerangapattanam truce, he made with them. This was followed by fierce and internecine encounters between the British and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Rajah of Kottayam. When the Rajah was driven to the wilderness of Wayanad, he organised the war-like Kurichiya tribals into a sort of people's militia and engaged the British in several guerrilla type encounters. In the end, the British could get only the dead body of the Rajah, who killed himself somewhere in the interior of the forest. Thus, Wayanad fell into the hands of the British and with it came a new turn in the Home of this area. The British authorities opened up the plateau for cultivation of tea and other cash crops. Roads were laid across the dangerous slopes of Wayanad, from Kozhikode and Thalassery. These roads were extended to the cities of Mysore and Ooty through Gudalur. Through the roads poured in settlers from all parts of Kerala and the virgin forest lands proved a veritable goldmine with incredible yields of cash crops. When the State of Kerala came into being in November 1956, Wayanad was part of Kannur district. Later, south Wayanad was added to                                                   kozhikode district. In order to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Wayanad for development, north Wayanad and South Wayanad were carved out and joined together to form the present district of Wayanad. This district came into being on November 1, 1980 as the 12 district of Kerala comprising three taluks; Vythiri, Mananthavady, and Sulthan Bathery.

Geography

Wayanad district stands on the southern tip of the Deccan plateau and its chief glory is the majestic rugged terrain of the Western ghats, with lofty ridges interspersed with dense forest, tangled jungles and deep valleys. Quite a large area of the district is covered by forest but the continued and indiscriminate exploitation of the natural resources point towards an imminent environmental crisis.

Mountains

Chembra Peak (2,100 metres (6,890 ft)), Banasura peak (2,073 metres (6,801 ft)), Brahmagiri (1,608 metres (5,276 ft)) are some of the important mountains in the district.

Rivers

The Kabini River, one of the three east flowing rivers of Kerala, is an important tributary of the Kaveri River. Almost the entire Wayanad district is drained by Kabini and its three tributaries, the Panamaram, Mananthavady, and Kalindy rivers. The Banasura Sagar Dam is built on one of tributaries of the Kabini River.

Climate

The distance from the mean sea level and the amount of forest cover creates a pleasant climate in the region. Generally the year is divided into four seasons; cold weather (December to February) hot weather (March to May) South West monsoon (June to September) and North East monsoon (October to November). During the hot weather the temperature goes up to a maximum of 35 °C (95 °F) and during the cold weather the temperature goes down to07 °C (45 °F). The greater temperature variation in the last 5–6 years is in the range of 18 °C (64 °F) to 28 °C (82 °F). The average rainfall is 2,500 millimetres (98 in) per year.

Economy         

                Wayanad is 3.79% urbanised. Agriculture, is the main stay of the economy. Coffee, tea, cocoa, pepper, plantain and vanilla are the main crops. Besides these cash crops, the most important crop in the district is rice. Dams and aqueducts have been constructed to take water to the otherwise dry areas in the district. Price of land is going up even though Agrarian crisis.

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Wayanad one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the two districts in Kerala currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF). Today wayanad has developed to attract tourists who are all visiting Mysore and Ooty. 

Demography

               According to the 2011 censes Wayanad district has a population of 816,558, roughly equal to the nation of Comoros or the US state of South Dakota. This gives it a ranking of 482nd in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 383 inhabitants per square kilometre (990 /sq mi).  Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 4.6 %. Wayanad has a sex ratio of 1035 females for every 1000 males,  and a literacy rate of 89.32 %.

                 There are tribal populations in the area who still practice age-old customs and rituals and live a nomadic life. Some of the tribes  include Paniyas, Adiyas, Kattunayakan, kurumans and Kurichiyans. It is the district with the highest share in the adivasi population (about 36%) of Kerala. Wayanad also has a large settler population. The Jains from Karnataka came in the 13th century. The Hindu Nairs from Kottayam-Kurumbranadu, in Kannur district, made an entry in the 14th century and established their feudal system. They were followed by Muslims. There were large scale migrations from southern Kerala in the early 1940s. Christians came in the 1950s from Travancore region. In the last few decades there was a complete marginalisation of the indigenous people. Alienated from their land, exploited by the settlers and neglected by the state, their struggle for rights to the land has so far been unsuccessful.

Flora and fauna

The flora of Wayanad is characteristic of the Western Ghats and the plantation crops grown in the cool climate. A major portion of the district is covered by coffee. Trees of the wild type like rose-wood, anjili (Artocarpus), mullumurikku (Erthrina), several species of caussia and many other nondescript varieties are still preserved here and there, to give shade to the coffee plants. These trees give a dembalance of wilderness to the landscape of Wayanad. In a majority of coffee plantations, the age-old species are replaced by the silver-oak which is suited to the cold climate. This tree grows quickly and its cultivation is widespread among coffee plantations for shade and for giving support to pepper. It is used for the plywood industry and thus is economical to the farmers. Eucalyptus grandis, a shorter variety of eucalyptus, whose fragrant smell suffuses the very air around it, is cultivated on a large scale in certain parts of the district. Eucalyptus oil is extracted on commercial basis from its leaves.

Of the 20,864 hectares of reserve forest, the major portion is teak plantation. Arecanut palms and jack trees are also grown here. Tea is grown as an industry in large estates. The soil and climate of Wayanad are suitable for horiculture on commercial basis. For promoting the cultivation of vegetables and raising of orchards, the Kerala Agricultural University is running a Regional Agricultural Research Station at Ambalavayal.

Places of importance

There are various places of touristic, ecological, religious, and historic importance in the district

• Thirunelli Temple is a very old temple on the foothills of Brahmagiri. This temple is dedicated by Brahma to Vishnu in the form of Chatturbhuja. The Thirunelly Temple embodies classical, traditional Kerala architecture. This temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu – the god who maintains life, attracts hordes of devotees especially for performing ancestral rites. The shrine is shielded with 30 granite columns and the ground is paved with huge square pieces of granite. It is believed that a ritual dip in the stream Papanasini, running crystal clear downhill, wash one away of all worldly sins. Puthari (October), Chuttuvilakku (January), Navarathri, Sivarathei and Sree Krishna Jaynthi are the festivals conducted in this temple. Karkidakavavu, offerings to the spirits of the departed are made, in August. This place also known as the kasi of south.

• Edakkal Caves, 32 km from Kalpetta near Ambalavayal, is famous for its pre-historic carvings and paintings.
• Muthanga wildlife sanctuary. It is on the way from Mysore to Sulthan Bathery. Wild animals such as bison, elephant,deer, and tiger has been spotted. There are also quite a few wild birds in the sanctuary.
• The Jain Temple near Koottamunda and the Ananthanatha Swami Temple.
• Valliyoorkav is a temple of historic and social significance.
• Pallikunnu Church, 14 km from Kalpetta is a famous Pilgrim centre in north Kerala.
• Varambatta Mosque is one of the oldest mosque in Wayanad and its famous for varambata nercha. Varambatta is one of the most sunni populated area in wayanad. There is many institutions lead by Varambatta Sunni Jama'ath Committee. A beautiful masjid habe build by Sha'kh Aboobacker Ahmad. Two deeni madrassas are going goodly named as Muneerul Islam Sunni Madrassa& Malharul Uloom Sunni Madrassa. SSF is leading youth wing in Varambatta. And a nercha is going on by Sunni Associations on Meenam every year.
• Mazhuvannur Maha Siva Kshethram is an ancient Shiva temple near Tharuvana. Karat Siva Temple is a very old temple near Kommayad.
• Sulthan Bathery is famous for its fort, which was built by Tipu Sultan.
• The tomb of the king Pazhassi Raja, who fought the British with the help of Kurichiya warriors, is in Mananthavady.
• Lakkidi, the entry-point to Wayanad on the road from Kozhikode, receives the highest rainfalls in India.
• Pookode lake is a famous tourist centre near Lakkidi.
• For the adventurous: Chembra peak, Banasura peak and Brahmagiri peak will provide a tough trek experience.
• Kuruva Dweep (10 km from Mananthavady) is a unique and fragile delta system on the Kabini River.
• An important and unusual pilgrim centre for sociologists and educationists is Kanavu a centre for alternative education which help the adivasis (tribals) to adapt to the challenges without losing their cultural moorings.
• Ananthanatha Swami Temple, (also known as ParswanathaSwamy Jain Temple at Puliyarmala) is a beautiful Jain temple located at Puliyarmala, 6 km from Kalpetta.

• Pakshipathalam is a very popular trekking spot on the Kerala-Karnataka border.
• Soochipara, Kanthapara, and Meenmutty are waterfalls in the Meppadi-Ambalavayal region.
• Thovarimala Ezhuthupara is 5 km from Sulthan Bathery have 400M trekking to reach Thovarimal Ezhuthupara we can see stone age pictorial writing on a rock.
• Meenmutty Falls is 29 km from Kalpetta in Wayanad District. It is Kerala's second largest waterfall and the one most unspoiled in its natural setting.
• HML Tea factory achoor: Big tea factory in Wayanad, 10 km from Vythiri.

Organizations to promote tourism in wayanad

DTPC

DTPC Wayanad has established in 1989 under Department of Tourism , Govt. of Kerala exclusively for promoting tourism in wayanad under the Chairman ship of District Collector, Wayanad. At present DTPC wayanad is running project like Pookot lake, Pazhassi park, Wayanad heritage museum, Edakkal caves, karalad lake, facility centers at various tourist destinations at Wayanad. DTPC also provide various information centers at Muthanga, Lakkidi, Kattikulam, Soojippara, Vaduvanchal .

The District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) is set up with the purpose of fully exploiting the tourism potential of the State through sustained efforts by co-ordinating various Government departments, voluntary agencies and others interested in travel and tourism.

The DTPC has a governing body with District Collector as Chairman and members from among officials, people’s representatives and tourism experts nominated by the Government.

The DTPC mainly concentrates on tourism promotion activities like marketing of local products through private/public participation, improvement of quality/standards and evolving procedure for certification of all tourism products, improvement of signages, sanitation etc by working through the local governments, heritage conservation and preservation, coordination of tourism clubs, creation of tourism awareness and preparation of host community, promotion of paying guest scheme, information dissemination and local basic infrastructure projects. DTPC Wayanad has awarded has the best performing DTPC in Kerala for the year 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

Objectives of DTPC

-      Creation and marketing of local tourism products

-       Improving quality standards of tourism products and services

-       Improvement of sanitations at tourist destinations

-      Awareness creation, tourism club, information dissemination

-      Home stay scheme

-      Development of local basic infrastructure

Programmes of DTPC

     -   Wayanad Darshan ( Conducted tour)

-      Guide services

-      Accommodation Services

-      Wildlife safari & adventure trekking

-      Camping facility by providing tends

WTO

Wayanad Tourism Organization is a nonprofit organization, registered in India under the Societies Registration act XXI of 1860 with Reg. No 44/04.

    With its devotion to sustainable tourism, Wayanad Tourism Organization has become synonymous to Responsible Tourism. Started in 1999 with 8 members, it have crossed many mile stones and stood united against many crises that surfaced from nowhere.

Aims and Objectives

1. To plan, initiate and support meaningful steps that lead to growth of tourism in Wayanad. This involves innovative and professional management of the Wayanad brand, and development of Wayanad’s tourism resources and capabilities.

2. To serve as a forum for local tourism entrepreneurs to interact on issues of shared concern. And further to give shape to coordinated action, utilizing their collective leverage.

3. To provide an institutional framework to enable positive and synergistic partnerships between the local tourism industry and government tourism agencies for more effective promotion and management of tourism in the Wayanad district.

4. To take a lead role in fostering a culture of ‘responsible and sustainable tourism’ in Wayanad. This includes greater sensitivity to local ecological and social concerns. It also involves effective measures to evolve and maintain better quality standards and practices.

5. To actively explore ways to generate revenues for the Association so that it can fund its activities better. Activities include developing and marketing innovative tourism related products and conducting special events.

6. It must be stressed that this is a 100% Not for Profit organization. Revenues generated through the Association shall be used exclusively in pursuance of its stated Aims and Objectives; members of the Association shall, in no circumstance, be rewarded monetarily.

Wayanad Tourism Statistics

Foreign tourist’s statistics

As per the data of as 2010, 6575 foreign tourists are visited wayanad district. It is 1% of the state’s total. And it made a tremendous increment of 22% from 2009 data. Most of the tourists are visited wayanad in the months of October, November, December, January and February which can mark as a tourist season in wayanad. Out of the total foreign tourists arrival, 1453 (22%) opted home stays for staying in Wayanad. It indicates the keen of tourists to stay and touch with the local people in wayanad.

Domestic tourist’s statistics

            In 2010, 4, 08,151 domestic tourists are visited wayanad district. This is in the 3^rd position in Kerala state. Trivandrum and Ernakulum leads the table. And around 28,000 tourists stayed back in home stays in wayanad.

Research methodology

This is a research conducting as per the curriculum in the 4^th semester. Researcher done research on “A study on the community development through responsible tourism practices in wayanad dist, Kerala”.

Research is a detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new)    information or reach a (new) understanding. In social sciences it can do in two ways, they are qualitative research and quantitative research. Researcher chose the quantities method which deals with the numbers and content analysis.

Research design        

Research design is the blue print for conducting research. It includes the plan and structure that is undertaken to find the answers to project design. It specifies the following

Study design

This study designed in such a way that analysis through quantitative method. This project is descriptive in nature. Descriptive research, also known as statistical research, describes data and characteristics about the population or phenomenon being studied. Descriptive research answers the questions who, what, where, when and how...

Samples

Samples of the research are the cluster of respondents A sample is a finite part of a statistical population whose properties are studied to gain information about the whole (Webster, 1985). When dealing with people, it can be defined as a set of respondents (people) selected from a larger population for the purpose of a survey. A population is a group of individual persons, objects, or items from which samples are taken for measurement for example a population of presidents or professors, books or students.

 As researcher is doing research on a study on the community development through responsible tourism practices in wayanad dist, Kerala, it would be appropriate that to collect data from the persons who are all experienced sustainable tourism practices. From available sources, researcher chose tourists visiting Wayanad, Organizations or groups working on the field sustainable tourism and local people who are all affecting the tourism practices in wayanad.

Sample size

As stated above, researcher chose tourists, local people and people working for sustainable tourism.

Researcher had collected data from 100 tourists who are all non-Keralites. Researcher made this criterion because Keralites may not have any issue as they know the local language. Researcher chose 20 people working in sustainable tourism in wayanad. Volunteers of VSS, Kudumbashree members, DTPC, Uravu, Kanavu and kabani officials are among them. Researcher had collected data from 25 local people who are all staying nearby attractions.

Data collection methods

Data are collected from two sources. They are primary sources and secondary sources.

            Primary sources

            Data collected from primary sources is known as primary data. Primary source is a term used in a number of disciplines to describe source material that is closest to the person, information, period, or idea being studied. A primary source can be a person with direct knowledge of a situation, or a document created by such a person.

 Primary data had collected from people working on sustainable tourism, tourists, and from local people of wayanad through questionnaire. Predetermined questionnaires had circulated among them. Questionnaires had set in such a way that to get the depth knowledge about community development through sustainable tourism.

Questionnaires

 A questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case. Researcher had set 3 sets of questionnaire to circulate among respondent distinguished above.

            Secondary sources

            Secondary sources are the secondary data recourses. A secondary source is a document or recording that relates or discusses information originally presented elsewhere. A secondary source contrasts with a primary source, which is an original source of the information being discussed; Secondary data are those data collected prior to self on this topic. Secondary data helped me in getting more idea about the topic and further helped me in formulating hypotheses. Websites, books and several magazines sourced me secondary data. Their names are appended in bibliography and reference.

Data analysis

            Analysis of data is a process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of highlighting useful information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting decision making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, in different business, science, and social science domains.

The data got out of primary tabulated in spread sheets. Data interpreted by simple percentage method. It helped the researcher to reach in proper conclusion.

 Percentage method

% of respondent = (number of respondent/total number) * 100

All the results obtained from analysis and interpretations are plotted as graphs and diagram using Microsoft excel sheet.

Sustainable tourism –In Wayanad context

Preface

Awareness about the threat of climate change has increased considerably with so much of talks, seminars and environmental movements going around the world on climate change, tourism and environmental sustainability have steadily become intertwined. Across the globe there is a growing realization that environmental sustainability is the key to attract and retain tourists and being competitive.

Recently, responsible tourism has received a significant impetus with all the stakeholders in Kerala, one of the most popular tourist destinations in India, coming together bringing on board the under privileged and the unskilled labour force to reap in the economic benefits.

With all the players coming together, this endeavor strives to achieve a truly holistic green transformation program. The effort is not only to bring together the members of hospitality industry and government, but through the active participation of the local authorities and the inhabitants it is ensured that the locals reap cultural, environmental as well as economic benefits.

Wayanad is one of the destinations where the hospitality industry and authorities have brought together farmers, craftsmen, fisher folk, women and unskilled labour force. The objective of all the stakeholders involved is to provide the inhabitants of this tourist destination which is Wayanad in this particular case, with sustainable livelihoods. Wayanad is home to rich biodiversity with an array of trekking trails, wildlife and waterfalls.

It’s a very good effort on the part of all the stakeholders involved as it will not only offer ample livelihood opportunities to the locals, but will also ensure their active participation in the whole process, making them more responsive to and responsible for their environment. It will also ensure enhanced awareness about the local ecosystem which will lead to positive step forward for sustainability and conservation of the local ecosystem. In the long term it will ensure more tourism activities which ultimately will translate into economic prosperity of the locals especially the underprivileged and poor.

Sustainable Tourism initiative in Wayanad

The government has taken initiatives towards sustaining the tourism industry in the region and has implemented many programmes through Sustainable Tourism initiatives. The programmes initiated here make Wayanad a better place to live in and experience the lush.
                       Conforming to the goals envisaged by Sustainable Tourism initiatives worldwide, the Kerala Government also encourages activities which generate greater economic benefits for local people and enhance their well being. It is also culturally sensitive and creates a greater awareness of the need for sustaining diverse cultures and the nature of the destination. From the tourist perspective, the activities help him/ her interacts with the local people and thus provides a more enjoyable tourism experience. 

Beginning

Responsible Tourism initiatives of the district started with a stakeholder workshop held on 6th May 2007. The activities were aimed at including all stakeholders in the region – people's representatives, representatives from government, local-self-governments, tourism industry, civil society organizations, academicians and media. Later the activities accelerated and the Responsible Tourism projects began in January 2008.  The activities mainly focused on three areas – social, economic and environmental aspects of tourism.

Pilot study

      Responsible Tourism initiatives of the district started with a stakeholder workshop held on 6th May 2007. The activities were aimed at including all stakeholders in the region – people's representatives, representatives from government, local-self-governments, tourism industry, civil society organizations, academicians and media.

                Later the activities accelerated and the Responsible Tourism projects began in January 2008.  The activities mainly focused on three areas – social, economic and environmental aspects of tourism.

Economic responsibility

Farming, supply and management of products

Kudumbashree, the self-help groups of women and Samrudhi group were roped in to economic responsibility activities of the RT Cell from the very beginning. The Samrudhi group successfully started its operations by conducting continuous discussions and meetings with hoteliers and it could develop a good rapport between industrial partners. The farmers group and production units were identified and the government took initiative to promote organic farming in the region. The products made by Kudumbashree units, local farmers and artisans were distributed to the hotel industry and thus it helped provide quality products to the tourists and also brought in economic benefits.

                      It also helped reduce the gap between the community and tourism industry and improved the interaction between the two. This participatory approach including the local-self-government, District Kudumbashree Mission, NGOs, social workers and tourism industry helped enhance the economic, social and environmental development.
                       The project was successful as it could source available products and then supply them in such a way that it brought benefits to the local community. As envisaged in the beginning of the project, several local producers could come out with good profit. Though in the beginning only limited items were supplied to limited number of hotels in the tourism industry, now the business has been expanded manifold. More than 40 items are now being supplied to about 10 properties nowadays and the business is managed with the help of price-fixing committees and quality committees. The impressive management related to the procurement and supply mechanism helped Samrudhi Group earn a good amount as profit.

Ethnic food corner

                 Another initiative towards economic responsibility part of Responsible tourism was the opening of two ethnic food corners. The RT Cell started running one near Edakkal Caves and another on the premises of Pookot Lake.
                        The involvement of the tribal community too was ensured in this project and the food corner near Edakkal is run by the tribal community. They offer tribal, ethnic and indigenous snacks and the tourists visiting the place find them very delicious and interesting. The shop could generate an income of more than Rs 1 lakh within a month.             

    Now, there are more than 20 Kudumbashree units and many farmers and handicrafts makers are supplying their products through the Samrudhi shop. Samrudhi could generate annual revenue of more than 7 lakh in May 2010 and a majority of the amount was distributed among local people.

Social Responsibility

Sustainable Tourism Projects contribute to the social aspects of the society. It links the cultural elements and diversity of the region to the tourism aspects and thus helps to sustain the art, culture and distinctiveness of the region.

RT Cell Reports, Directories

The RT Cell in Wayanad took initiatives to study the safety issues and assessed the infrastructure gap in the region. It also prepared a code of conduct and found out the major social issues related to tourism. The RT Cell was instrumental in identifying many a community based tourism product and it could come out with a festival calendar which includes all the details on fairs and festivals of the region.  The calendar includes history, festivals, customs and rituals and temple arts of the destination and it contributed much to the cultural tourism of the region. A labour directory, destination directory and resource mapping, are among the other major reports put forth by RT Cell.  It also conducted major surveys like social survey and core destination survey, which tried to identify the perception of local community and industry towards tourism. These surveys also helped to analyse the status of the local community in the destination.
Destination Resource Directory

The officials at RT Cell, Wayanad conducted a thorough study on all the major components and resources of the district and prepared a Destination Directory. This comprehensive resource mapping is accurate, created with the help of local community and it covers all the natural, cultural, historical, geographical and community details of the region.

Souvenir Development

The RT Cell also strives to uplift the local artisans and spice farmers, by linking their skills with tourism aspects. Hence, three types of souvenirs have been developed by RT Cell – spice kits, etching of Edakkal Caves and Coffee Stump Products. These souvenirs have been sold through Samrudhi shops to the tourists. In short, all these initiatives helped boost an association between the local community and the tourism sector.
Visitor Management Plan for Edakkal Caves

The RT Cell also looks into the safety issues of tourism and it found out that tourist management of the Edakkal Caves – one of the busiest destinations in Wayanad, needs revamp. The officials at the RT Cell came out with an effective Visitor Management Plan, after comprehensive study and analysis and this plan ensures more comfort and safety to the tourists visiting the Caves.

Environmental responsibility

Tourism often creates environmental hazards in the destination and hence Responsible Tourism takes `environment’ as a key responsibility area. The RT Cell took up many tasks like clean Soochipara program, control plastic pollution in Pookot Lake and environment survey in order to ensure the protection of the environment.

Major Missions

Clean Soochipara, Pookot Lake

                  The RT Cell could identify many threats to the Soochipara waterfalls, posed due to the large                inflow of tourists to the area. Plastic pollution was a major issue which threatened the quality of the waterfall and its premises. A mass awareness and cleaning programme was conducted by the RT Cell in association with the Tourism club at Soochipa.    Plastic pollution was the major problem which threatened the environment at Pookot fresh water lake too and the awareness and cleaning programmes conducted by the RT Cell helped solve this problem to an extent.

Environmental Survey

Environmental Survey was another RT cell initiative which helped work towards a better environment. It conducted survey at 17 properties in Wayanad and came out with a report on the environmental policies and energy management practices of hotels and resorts.
Streetlight Survey

                A survey was conducted to measure the efficiency of streetlights in vythiri panchayath and a report was submitted to the panchayath. The authorities took necessary action and benefitted the local people and tourists alike.

Study on Sacred Groves

A study on the sacred groves was conducted by the RT Cell and it revealed the details of existing sacred groves in the region, their uniqueness and bio-diversity and thus it stressed the necessity of preserving the sacred groves.

Village Life Experience at Wayanad

The RT Cell also introduced two packages which helps tourists enjoy the unexplored village life of Weaned. And these were named – Road to the Fragrant Hill and Journey to the Soul of Nature.

Road to Fragrant Hill (Sugandhagiri)

Road to the Fragrant Hill was developed in Sugandhagiri in Pozhuthana Grama Panchayath. It was developed as part of the Western Ghats development project, initiated under the prime minister ship of Indira Gandhi during 1977. The project in Sugandhagiri later became a comprehensive cardamom project. The project also aims at the rehabilitation of the tribal population in the area and there are about 260 families which are living in an area of 3500 acres.

           Village Life Experience at Sugandhagiri is a responsible tourism initiative which tries to distribute the benefits of tourism to the local community. The journey through Sugandhagiri will offer some enchanting views of nature as well as facilitate an interaction with the inhabitants there. Tourist can also observe the traditional village dwellings made of locally available resources like bamboo and clay and can have a glimpse into the traditional lifestyle of the tribes.

                    The programme starts at 8 am and ends at 6 pm and the package is economic which includes lunch, refreshment, help of a guide and a complementary gift pack.
Visit to Handcrafts Unit

The first itinerary will be visiting to a handicraft unit. The crafts centre is operated by ITPB (Integrated Tribal Development Programme) and it aims at enhancing the skills of tribal youth in developing wooden handicrafts.

Anganvadi Visit

A visit to the Anganvadi (kindergarten) nearby is the next item in the itinerary and this will be very interesting to the tourists as they can interact with the local kids.
Sacred Grove

During the journey you can also see a sacred grove (kavu). The presence of sacred groves in the area talks volumes on man’s harmonious existence with nature. There are many rituals followed in kavu and one of them is the daily ighting of the lamp. Besides the locals observes an annual festival at kavu during navarathri.

Other programmes

      Tourists can also visit some of the tribal settlers’ houses in the area. It will help you get a glimpse of congenial ecological living. The house is made up of locally available construction materials such as bamboo, grass, clay and dung.Through the visit, tourists can also learn about the life and customs of tribes like Paniyas and how their life is led by the age old customs and traditions.

                A plantation visit too is organised by the RT Cell and during a visit to one of the tribal’s           plantations, you can observe the agriculture methods practiced for cultivating cardamom. A visit to the house of persons belonging to Kurichiya community too is organised. The Kurichiya community is known as warriors who fought against the British with Pazhassi Raja. Tourists can observe their lifestyle and archery skills. A further journey to another tribal settlement will provide you some of the fascinating views on nature and you pass near the crystal clear water of a natural spring which acts as the source of water for all the inhabitants in the area.

              A traditional lunch by one of the settlers is also included in the itinerary and the visitors are sure to enjoy it.  Further in the journey, a fabulous stream with foamy water will offer an opportunity to experience a shower and tourists can also watch the cultivation of some medical plant.

               As the valley is blessed with rich bio diversity, you may stand a good chance of encountering deer, sambar and elephants. Tourists can also shop at the souvenir/spice shop and can have refreshments of local flavour before ending the journey through Sugandhagiri.

Journey to the soul (Karimkutty)
Journey to the Soul of Nature includes a trip to Karimkutty which is located in Kottathara Grama Panchayath. The package mainly offers a glimpse into the culture and lifestyle of the tribal community,Kurichiyas.                   One can have a peep into their joint family system, and observe their unique lifestyle, traditions, rituals, customs etc. Kurichiyas also follow indigenous agricultural and medicinal practices and the tourists will be able to have a first-hand experience on these too. The tourists can also try traditional fishing methods, observe and enjoy the sprawling coffee, arecanut, coconut, ginger and other spice plantations during this Journey to the Soul.  A trip to a silkworm production centre too is part of the package and it helps visitors understand the various stages of silk production.                                These two packages introduced by RT Cell not only provide a detailed understanding of the village life in Wayanad, but also offer an opportunity to interact with local farmers, kids and traditional medicinal practitioners. Through these initiatives, the RT Cell can also distribute the benefits of tourism among the local community. Organizations promoting local communities in wayanad URAVU URAVU is a non-profit trust established in 1996, registered under the Indian Trust Act. It is a non-government organization working with people, governments and businesses to implement programs for employment and income generation in rural areas. Uravu promotes social entrepreneurship based on value addition of local, natural resources. It’s a vision, search and social practice aimed at social well-being and sustainable development. Uravu implements integrated, end-to-end programs in the bamboo sector, which includes providing skill training in bamboo processing, establishing micro enterprises, marketing, and cultivation of bamboo and promotion of eco-tourism. Uravu strives for empowering the marginalized and economically disadvantaged social groups, especially the traditional artisans, women and the Indigenous People. Uravu is located in Thrikkaipetta village in Wayanad district. URAVU began as a collective of friends, individuals with social consciousness, political convictions, and doubts too. People who were searching for alternative ways of living, meaningful social practices, sustainable political and economic interventions for social well-being. Uravu works with people, governments and private businesses as a development partner.                                  Establishing sustainable rural micro enterprises based on the processing and value addition of local, natural resources is the major challenge taken up by Uravu. Uravu works mainly with bamboo, the “Green Gold,” the “resource of the 21st Century,” and implements end-to-end programs in the bamboo sector. The focus of Uravu is on developing bamboo processing skills among rural women through training programs and introduction of appropriate tools, technologies and processes. Uravu conducts design development and product diversification programs for artisans and runs a Common Facilities Centre for bamboo processing. Uravu provides various escort services for stabilizing producers’ self-help groups and micro enterprises. Uravu Eco Links Ltd., the public limited company promoted by Uravu trust members, assists producer groups in marketing their products in various markets.  To augment the local resource base of bamboos and to enrich the environment, Uravu runs a bamboo nursery, supplies planting materials of varied bamboo species to local farmers and conducts bamboo planting programs. Uravu conducts diverse programs in the Thrikkaipetta village including the Bamboo Village Program for demonstration of applications of bamboo, community-led eco-tourism, annual Jackfruit Festival, Travelers’ Forest Program etc.Uravu also promotes farmers’ self-help-groups, floriculture groups etc. Contributions of Uravu Uravu tries to find out a system which will help uplift the downtrodden and the marginalised economically. While making the local population economically stable is Uravu’s prime concern, it has also paid great attention to the means for development. The organisation envisages an economic system based on natural resource base. It strives to upgrade the local resource processing skills and also ensures that the local community is equipped with appropriate technologies.                         Many value added products have been brought forth by the artisans working with Uravu.  They include bags, pens, furniture, CD covers, household utensils, handicraft items etc and they are effectively marketed. The downtrodden section of the local community is the main benefactors of Uravu’s initiatives and they include traditional artisans, tribes and women.                   Uravu is a partner of State Bamboo Mission and assists in its training initiatives. As part of a project under the Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojana (RSVJ) programme of Government of India, Uravu has started imparting craft training to rural people. The organisation also joined hands with Ambedkar Hast Shilp Vikas Yojana (AHVY) and NABARD  and actively worked towards the establishment of mother and satellite units for development of bamboo craft and products. Uravu helped about 200 families in Wayanad find a livelihood through its initiatives and activities related to bamboo. Coupled with tourism, the bamboo product making industry could bring in sustainable development in the Bamboo Village of Thrikkaipetta without creating disturbance to ecosystem. What can see in Uravu   Visiting Uravu will understand that it is a beehive of activities now. There is a bamboo nursery, where tourists can see people involved in designing and getting trained in producing bamboo furniture, bags or crafts. Kanavu                     Kanavu, a very unconventional school which attracted international attention, is situated in the          picturesque Cheengodu Hills in Nadavayal village, about 11 km from Kalpetta. It is set up by writer, activist and film director K. J. Baby and this school is exclusively meant for educating Adivasi children and cultivating a sense of pride in them.  The unconventional teaching methods include training in traditional performances and music, as well as martial arts (Kalarippayattu) training. History                       `Kanavu’ which means `dream’ had been a dream project of writer-turned activist K. J. Baby. When he started the school about 17 years ago, it was just a thatched structure on six acres of land. Over the years, the school has grown with more students being enrolled in and it became a successful model in educating the tribes without destroying their genuine talents and traditions. Many scholars and academicians visit the school to know more about the innovative methods used in imparting knowledge to tribal communities. During 2007, Kanavu was registered as a trust, and the ex-students are taking over the administration of kanavu. Teaching method           The school intentionally did away with conventional practices like classroom and syllabus. Tribal folksongs and rituals were incorporated in the training sessions and this helped to reinforce a sense of identity in the community.  Self-reliance is also taught here. Training is given in such a way that it helps develop the skills in students – be it music, painting, dance, farming, martial art or the like. At the same time the children are also encouraged and trained to attend competitive exams. Students are encouraged to observe surroundings, and scientific awareness is also inculcated by stimulating interest in the environment.  Supplementary information on the local area is given through books, pictures and slides. The school follows the gurukul system in which the teachers live with the students and receive no remuneration for their work. Kanavu has been identified as a unique experiment in cultural formation and learning and it can boast of a history of training many students who are now working at different parts of India. All the students of Kanavu have a reputation of being good performers of folk dances and songs and the self-reliance and self pride in them stand in testimony of the success of the institution. Spices Board      Wayanad has acres of spice plantations and hence the Spices Board has set up a field office at Kalpetta. The Board contributes to the research and development that goes into the spice farming industry. It formulates many programmes which help enhance the production of the spices as well as improve the quality of the produce. It is responsible for implementing the various programmes aimed at upgrading the spice growing, and educating and training he farmers.  The training is not restricted to the growers, it is extended to processors, packers and exporters too.  It also acts as a databank and communication channel for importers and exporters of Indian spices.                The Board also helps in the marketing of the spices and assists the exporters establish contact with overseas buyers of spices. It facilitates registration of growers and exporters and forwards the trade enquiries that it receives from abroad to competent registered Indian exporters. Thus it helps the exporter to find market for his product as well as ensures that the International buyer gets good quality spices from India. The board also examines the complaints on importing and exporting of spices and take constructive measures to prevent anything illegal going into the trade. Kabani Kabani is nonprofit initiatives of a group of people who love their land and want others to love it too. They are concerned about the impacts of tourism and development on people’s livelihood and environment. Our prime objectives are sustainable socio–economic development of local communities and conservation of natural resources that provides the basic of community livelihood. Named after the Kabani River, one of the rivers in Kerala flowing in the ‘other direction’ than most of the rivers in Kerala, they are trying to facilitate an ‘other direction’ in the present form of tourism. They attempt to question the present models of tourism development. What they do research advocacy campaigns networking training activities to endorse sustainability in tourism development They facilitate community tourism initiatives, which find their basis in the local population, focussing on the socio-economic security and sustainability of the place. These programmes are community initiatives focusing on sustainable socio-economic development of villages and the conservation of natural resources. We are working mainly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, but also in other places where people can benefit from our ideas and experiences.  Activities They mainly work with local communities and organizations in order to bring tourism issues in to their agenda. Research They do research with the strong focus on the impact of tourism on lives and livelihood of communities and natural resources. We research on the environmental, economic, socio-cultural and economic impact of tourism. They also critically analyze the impact of tourism and related policies on communities’ especially local communities in order to analyses its impact to the lives and livelihood of communities’ especially local communities in the destinations. They work towards a programme called’ Public Interest Research’ series which facilitate further awareness, campaigns, advocacy on the issues and threats faced by local communities. Mostly They work with local movements, Community Based Organizations, people’s movements in order to facilitate their skills in tourism related community level research. Campaigns and Advocacy We facilitate campaigns and advocacy and support people’s movements, struggles against mass and centralized forms of tourism which is undemocratic atic, unsustainable and investment intensive. We question tourism practices which undermines the human rights of the communities in destinations. We try to ensure local communities concerns and voices to be heard at various policy levels. We believe in decentralized democracy where communities should have access and control over decision making which affects their live and livelihood. Our facilitation in campaigns are aimed to assert and defend the human rights of local communities. Kudumbashree – self help group of women Kudumbashree, the self-help groups of women and Samrudhi group were roped in to economic responsibility activities of the RT Cell from the very beginning. The Samrudhi group successfully started its operations by conducting continuous discussions and meetings with hoteliers and it could develop a good rapport between industrial partners. The farmers group and production units were identified and the government took initiative to promote organic farming in the region. The products made by Kudumbashree units, local farmers and artisans were distributed to the hotel industry and thus it helped provide quality products to the tourists and also brought in economic benefits to the local community.  It also helped reduce the gap between the community and tourism industry and improved the interaction between the two. This participatory approach including the local-self-government, District Kudumbashree Mission, NGOs, social workers and tourism industry helped enhance the economic, social and environmental development of Wayanad.                        The project was successful as it could source available products and then supply them in such a way that it brought benefits to the local community. As envisaged in the beginning of the project, several local producers could come out with good profit. Though in the beginning only limited items were supplied to limited number of hotels in the tourism industry, now the business has been expanded manifold. More than 40 items are now being supplied to about 10 properties nowadays and the business is managed with the help of price-fixing committees and quality committees. The impressive management related to the procurement and supply mechanism helped Samrudhi Group earn a good amount as profit. Vana samrakshana samithi (VSS)                          Most of the attractions in wayanad district are nature based attraction. It can be a waterfall in forest or wild life sanctuary.  Such attractions are managed and operated by the forest department of Kerala state. DTPC is having the responsibility to promote and market the wayanad as a destination. For the better management of nature based attractions, there is a group called Vana Samrakshana Samithy (VSS). VSS is a group of local people who are all hailing from the surrounding of the attraction. They are appointed by the forest department and DTPC. The earning from these attractions will be given as the salary of the VSS volunteers. This is an ideal circumstance to offer employment to local people and helps to progress the local economy.

Analysis of data collected from local people

Table 1

Tourism activities in Wayanad

Activeness	Frequency	Percentage
Very Good	12	12
Good	24	24
Average	36	36
Bad	24	24
Very Bad	4	4
Total	100	100

As per the survey conducted by researcher, local people in wayanad voted for the tourism activeness as average (36%). And there is an equal opinion (24%) for good and bad for activeness of tourism in Wayanad. 12% remarked as very good and just 4% remarked as very bad.

Table 2

Is tourism good or bad for wayanad?

Factors	Frequency	Percentage
Good	60	60
Bad	40	40
Total	100	100

            60% total respondents feel that the tourism activities are good for the district. But 40% have another opinion that tourism is not good for wayanad.

Table 3

Government awareness to local people

Factors	Frequency	Percentages
Conducting	32	32
Not Conducting	68	68
Total	100	100

68% total respondents said that the Government is not conducting any awareness programme. And 32% said that they are conducting programmes. And this is because that data are collected from various attractions of wayanad. In some area, Dtpc is conducting awareness programmes to local people.

Table 4

Benefits of local community

	True		False		Can’t say		Don't know
	frequency	%	frequency	%	frequency	%	frequency	%
Local market	48	48	40	40	8	8	4	4
Education	12	12	84	84	4	4	0	0
Employment	80	80	4	4	0	0	4	16

From the diagram and graph plotted above, it is clear that from the benefits of local community from tourism, that is, employment, education and local market creation, most of the local people have an opinion that local market creation (48%) and employment (80%) are the benefits to the community out of tourism in Wayanad. 84% remarked that there is no education facility out of tourism in wayanad. And meantime 40% of respondent opted that tourism couldn’t create any local market in wayanad.

Table 5

Disadvantage on local community out of tourism

	TRUE		FALSE		Can't say		Don't know
	frequency	%	frequency	%	frequency	%	frequency	%
Hike in Goods	52	52	28	28	8	8	12	12
Cultural Exploitation	24	24	24	24	20	20	32	32
Environmental destruction	40	40	28	28	12	12	20	20

From the diagram and graph plotted above, it is clear that from the disadvantage on local community from tourism, that is, hike in goods, cultural exploitation and environmental destruction, most of the local people have an opinion that hike in goods (52%) and environmental destruction (40%) are the disadvantage to the community out of tourism in Wayanad. 24% remarked that there is cultural exploitation and same percent of local people remarked that there is no cultural exploitation out of tourism in wayanad. And same time 32% of respondent opted that they are not aware of the environmental destruction in wayanad.

Analysis of data collected from people working on sustainable tourism

Table 6

Define sustainable tourism

Definitions	Frequency	%
sustaining nature	6	30
sustaining local economy	4	20
preserving resources	2	10
all of the above	8	40
None of the above	0	0

Majority of the people (40%) working with sustainable tourism in wayanad have said that the definition of sustainable tourism covers sustaining nature, sustaining local people and preserving all resources for future generation. Apart from this 30% believes that it is sustain the nature and other 20% believes that it is meant for sustaining local economy.

Table 7

Government’s action

	Frequency	%
Yes	13	65
No	7	35
Total	20	100

65% believes that government is taking the right action to monitor sustainable tourism. Whereas 35% believes that government is not taking it seriously.  DTPC’s responsible tourism wing also rose as a government initiative to promote and monitor sustainable tourism in wayanad.

Table 8

Rating for the sustainable tourism practices

Rating	Frequency	%
Very Good	4	25
Good	9	45
Average	5	25
Bad	2	10
very bad	0	0
Total	20	100

Above mentioned table and diagram indicates that the rate given by different people working on sustainable tourism in wayanad on the practices of sustainable tourism in wayanad. 45% rated as the practices rare good. 25% voted as very good and the same number rated as average. A feeble 10% rated as bad for the sustainable tourism practices in wayanad.

Table 9

Ratings for the practices of sustainable tourism parameters in wayanad

Parameters	Good		Average		Bad
	Frequency	%	Frequency	%	Frequency	%
Community development	8	40	10	50	2	10
Preserving the nature	6	30	9	45	5	25
Educating tourists	2	10	5	25	13	65

From the graph it is clear that community development and preserving the nature have remarked as average on implementation. 50% voted community development as average and 40% remarked as good. 45% chose average for preserving the nature whereas 30% voted as good. The lion share of respondents (65%) noted that the practice of educating tourists about nature and bio diversity as bad. Only 10% said educating tourists is good in wayanad.

Table 10

Ratings for the practices of community development through tourism

Parameters	Good		Average		Bad
	Frequency	%	Frequency	%	Frequency	%
Local employment	11	55	8	40	1	5
Women empowerment	8	40	8	40	4	20

Most of the people working on sustainable tourism in wayanad rated the local employment  as good (55%).  40% remarked as average on its implementation of the local employment through sustainable tourism. 40% voted as women empowerment could develop the community (40%).  And the same percentage remarked as average on the parameter women empowerment of community development in wayanad.

Table 10 A

Ratings for the practices of community development through tourism

Parameters	Good		Average		Bad
	Frequency	%	Frequency	%	Frequency	%
Poverty eradication	5	25	8	40	7	35
educating the local community	8	40	7	35	5	25

Most (40%) of the people working in sustainable tourism practices in wayanad rated poverty eradication, a parameter of the community development through sustainable tourism as average on practices. And 35% rated the same as bad.  40% of respondents rated as educating the local people are good in practicing in wayanad. 35% mentioned the same as average and 25% rated as bad.

Table 11

Ratings for the disadvantages on local community by tourism

Parameters	TRUE		FALSE		Can't say
	Frequency	%	Frequency	%	Frequency	%
Hike in Price	5	25	7	35	8	40
Cultural eradication	2	10	13	65	4	20
sexual harassment	9	45	8	40	3	15

From the graph, it is clear that the respondents rated the disadvantages over local people by tourism as average for all the three parameters. In their opinion, there is no hike in price (35%) in wayanad district and 65 % opted as cultural exploitation is on average in wayanad. But they agreed that there is sexual harassment in district. 45% said that the statement is true for sexual harassment.

Table 11 A

Ratings for the disadvantages on local community by tourism

Parameters	TRUE		FALSE		Can't say
	Frequency	%	Frequency	%	Frequency	%
increased use of drugs	14	70	5	25	1	5
environmental destruction	12	60	8	40	0	0

Increased use of drugs and alcohol is the prime on the account of disadvantages over the local community by tourism in wayanad. 70% of respondents joined with this statement. 60% agreed that the tourism activity destructed the environment of wayanad. 40% of people working on sustainable tourism said that the tourism is preserving the nature of the wayanad, not destructing it.

Analysis of data collected from tourists

Table 12

First time or repeat?

	Frequency	%
Yes	36	36
No	64	64
Total	100	100

64% of tourists who filled questionnaire were visiting wayanad first time. 36% had visited wayanad before at least one time.

       Table 13

Awareness about sustainable tourism

	Frequency	%
Yes	76	76
No	24	24
Total	25	100

Most of the tourists (76%) are aware of sustainable tourism. 24% remarked as they are not aware of it.

Table 14

Source of Information

Source	Frequency	%
Travel Agency	16	16
Friends	36	36
Internet	28	28
News papers & Media	20	20
Total	100	100

Major source of information about is friends and internet. 36% of tourists came to know about wayanad from friends and 28% came to know from internet. 20% knew about wayanad from news papers and media. Only 16% came to know about wayanad from travel agents or tour operators. This is indicates that there is a immense scope of penetration of travel agents to wayanad.

Table 15

Ratings of sustainable tourism in wayanad by tourists

Ratings	Frequency	%
Very Good	12	12
Good	32	32
Average	36	36
Bad	16	16
Very Bad	4	4
Total	100	100

Tourists rated sustainable tourism practices in wayanad as average (36%). 32% rated as it is good and 12% rated as very good. But 16% opted that the performance of practice of sustainable tourism is bad.

Table 16

Performance of VSS

Ratings	Frequency	%
Very Good	4	4
Good	64	64
Average	32	32
Bad	4	4
Very Bad	0	0
Total	100	100

Most of the tourists are very much satisfied with the performance of VSS. 64% of them voted as good for the performance of VSS. 32% of tourists has an opinion that the performance of VSS is average. Meantime 4% remarked as very good and same number of tourists responded as bad.

Table 17

Ratings for the behaviour of Local people

Behaviour	Frequency	%
Friendly	56	56
Rude	16	16
like a stranger	28	28
like an enemy	0	0
Total	100	100

Most of the tourists don’t have any problem with the local people of wayanad. 56%remarked the behaviour of local people as friendly. But 16% voted as local people are behaving in a rude manner. 28% of the tourists have a complaint that the local people are consider them as a stranger.

Findings

·         Most of the local people of wayanad remarked that the tourism activities are in average pace.

·         Most of them feel that the tourism activities are good for wayanad.

·         Lion share of local people believes that tourism can generate employment in wayanad.

·         About half of the local people hope that the tourism can create local market through shopping activities of tourists.

·         Most of the local people said that there is no tourism education for local people.

·         From the data collected from local people, the main disadvantages over them by tourism are

a.       Hike in price

b.      Cultural exploitation

c.       Environmental destruction

·         In most of the areas in wayanad, DTPC is not providing nay tourism awareness programs to local people.

·         Most of the tourists came to know about wayanad from friend and internet.

·         Majority of the tourists are staying 2 days in wayanad.

·         Most o the tourists are aware of tourism.

·         Tourists voted sustainable tourism in wayanad as average and above.

·         Tourists are satisfied with the performance of VSS.

·         Most of the tourists remarked that the tourists are friendly.

·         As per the professionals working on sustainable tourism defined sustainable tourism as it is a practice to preserve the nature and sustain local economy.

·         They opted that the government is taking right actions to monitor the sustainable tourism in Wayanad.

·         Professionals remarked that the government is more stressing on the nature preservation and community development through sustainable tourism.

·         Most of the professionals remarked as local employment and women empowerment are the key parameters of community development through sustainable tourism.

·         Professionals claimed that there is an increment of drug usage in wayanad.

Suggestions

Sustainable tourism in wayanad is progressing in a low pace. Authorities are giving more importance to preserving nature than community development. Here researcher is suggesting some measures as per the study analysis of study done and personal observation.

·         DTPC or government authorities should take necessary actions to aware the local and tourists about importance of sustainable tourism practices.

·         Performance of VSS is satisfactory, it would be better to improve their English speaking ability.

·         Authorities should provide some training programs to taxi drivers and Home stay owners.

·         It would be better to establish restaurants or food courts near to attractions by involving kudumbashrees. It will enhance the practices of women empowerment.

·         DTPC and Uravu should be more aggressive on the promotion of Uravu.

·         DTPC should invite prominent travel agents and tour operators to wayanad and ask them to include wayanad as an attraction in their itinerary.

·         Authorities should promote the events like Uravu Bamboo fest, Wayanad Flower show, and Jackfruit fest. It will motivate tourists to purchase and will help to improve local economy.

·         Authorities should try to conduct fairs and events to promote spices of wayanad in other states of India. It will boost the agricultural sector in wayanad.

·          Authorities should promote agricultural tourism that can help to avoid farmer’s suicide in wayanad.

Conclusion

Tourism is a recognised global industry- one of the largest industries in the world. Like any global industry, tourist business activities can have considerable impact on local development trends. The local impacts of the tourism industry are diverse and are often unique to the tourism sector. Tourist activities, as traditionally defined by the tourism industry, fundamentally involve the transportation and hosting of the tourism consumer in a local community, i.e., “tourist destination,” where the tourist product is consumed. No other global industry structures itself in such a way that the consumer is brought to the product, rather than the product being delivered to the consumer in his or her own community. This structural difference produces unique social impacts upon the local tourist community, including the interruption of local customs and lifestyles, the spread of infectious diseases, changes in local demographics, and changes in local housing and labour markets.

            The primary product of tourism is not something produced by the industry. The product is often the heritage, wealth, and expected legacy of the community that serves as the tourist destination. The business activity of the tourism industry is to promote the “sailable” or appealing 4 aspects of the community, transport non-residents into the community, manage the hospitality for and guide the activities of these visitors, and provide them with goods and services to purchase during their stay. If these business activities degrade the community’s heritage and wealth, then the community suffers more directly than the consumer, who can return to his or her own community without responsibility for or awareness of the impacts of his tourist activities.

            Tourism is one of the many external forces influencing the direction and options for local development. The question of whether tourism can be sustainable—that is, whether it can contribute to local sustainable development. A truly legitimate and practical discussion on sustainable tourism must take place in and with the communities that are being influenced by tourist industry development. It must create accountability of the tourism industry to locally-defined development visions. The true proof of “sustainable tourism” will be the sustainable development of local communities that serve as tourist destinations. It is time for the sustainable tourism debate to focus on this challenge. Local authorities worldwide welcome the leadership of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, and the interest of the tourism industry, to reduce tourism’s negative impacts and to increase the positive contribution of tourism business and consumption activity to local sustainable development.

Solutions to adverse tourism impacts are to be found in the shared interest of local

Communities, tourism businesses, and tourism consumers to maintain the natural wealth and social heritage of the tourist destination. In the first instance, therefore, an institutional mechanism must be established, relative to each destination, to articulate and develop this sense of shared interest. To secure the legitimacy of these mechanisms, the participation of all interested local groups or interests must be guaranteed. Dialogue must take place in an open and transparent way. Experience demonstrates that if dialogue among interested parties is to have a real impact on development, it must generate accountability among these parties with regards to future investments, practices and policies. Consensus or decisions arising from dialogue must be reflected in institutional action. Only through such accountability can interests maintain a commitment to continued dialogue and a common agenda for local tourism development.

            Currently Wayanad district of Kerala as a whole is known for its sustainable tourism practices in all the attractions. The government has taken initiatives towards sustaining the tourism industry in the region and has implemented many programmes through Responsible Tourism initiatives. The programmes initiated here make Wayanad a better place to live in and experience the lush. Conforming to the goals envisaged by Responsible Tourism initiatives worldwide, the Kerala Government also encourages activities which generate greater economic benefits for local people and enhance their well being. It is also culturally sensitive and creates a greater awareness of the need for sustaining diverse cultures and the nature of the destination. From the tourist perspective, the activities help him/ her interacts with the local people and thus provides a more enjoyable tourism experience. 

Today, it can be traced that the development of local community in Wayanad district. Tourism industry could generate employment for local people in small scale. Vana samrakshana samthi (forest conservation forum) is a classic example of direct employment through sustainable tourism. Uravu – the bamboo village is providing employment to the local people and its factory became a destination itself. Practices of Kanavu – an initiative to educate the tribal people wayanad also got a boom after sustainable tourism practices. Kudumbashree- a government initiative to empower women has been involving in tourism industry by providing homemade food to tourists. And the DTPC of wayanad has established the responsible tourism wing (RT wing) among them. It is monitoring and managing the sustainable tourism practices in wayanad. However, without true commitment to the sustainable tourism practices, these instruments are not themselves sufficient to stay with the community development. Therefore, support from the international, national, state and local levels of industry and government, is essential to the success of the community development through sustainable tourism.

Reference

Books

·         Ahmed Djoghlaf, Tourism for Nature and Development,

·         Hughes, Sustainable Tourism, 2007, Elsevier Press

·         Sue Beeton, Community Development through Tourism, 2006, Landlink Press

·          The International Council or Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)

Sustainable Tourism: A Local Authority Perspective, 2006

Websites

·         www.wikipedia.org

·         www.whl.org

·         www.wayanaddtpc.com

·         www.wayanadtourism.org

·         www.uravu.org

·         www.kabanitourism.com

        Annexure

  Questionnaire

I am SHAFEEQUE P pursuing MBA Tourism from Pondicherry University is now doing a project on the topic of “community development through the responsible tourism practices- A study on wayanad district, Kerala.” This questionnaire is to collect some valuable information from you regarding your work experience with tourism industry. All the information providing here will be confidential and use only for the academic purposes.

1-      Name:

2-      Name of organization:

3-      Year of establishment:

4-      How do you define sustainable tourism?

-          for sustaining nature

-          for sustaining local economy

-          for preserving recourses for next generations

-          All of the above

-          None of the above

5-      Do you think that the govt is taking the right action to monitor the sustainable tourism in wayanad?

-yes

-no

6-      How do you rate the practices of sustainable tourism in wayanad district?

a.       Very good

b.      good

c.       average

d.      bad

e.       very bad

7-      How do you rate the following sustainable tourism practices? (Please use Good, Average and Bad for rating)

            - Community development:

            - Preserving the nature:

           - Educating tourists about sustainable tourism:

8-      How do you rate the practices of following parameters of community development      through sustainable tourism? (Please use Good, Average and Bad for rating)

-          Local employment:

-          Women empowerment:

-          Poverty eradication:

-          Educating the local community:

9-      How do you rate the disadvantages of tourism in wayanad? (Please use Good, Average and Bad for rating)

-          Hike in price

-          Cultural eradication

-          Sexual harassment

-          Increased use of drugs and alcohol

-          Environmental destruction

9-      Suggestions to promote wayanad as a sustainable tourism destination

……………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………….

10-  Suggestions to improve practices of the sustainable tourism in wayanad?

……………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………….

All the information provided here should consider as most valued and I am thankful to you for paying your valuable time for my project work

                                         THANK YOU

                             Questionnaire

I am SHAFEEQUE P pursuing MBA Tourism from Pondicherry University is now doing a project on the topic of “community development through the responsible tourism practices- A study on wayanad district, Kerala.” This questionnaire is to collect some valuable information from you regarding your experience with tourism industry in Wayand. All the information providing here will be confidential and use only for the academic purposes.

1-      Name:

2-      Age:

3-      Occupation:

4-      How do you watch the tourism activities in Wayanad district?

-          Very Good

-          Good

-          Average

-          Bad

-          Very Bad

5-      Do you think that the tourism activities are good for wayanad district?

-          Yes

-          No

6-      How do you rate the following advantages of tourism on the local community in respect of wayanad dist?

(Please rate using these measures: True, False, can’t say, don’t know)

-          Employment generation:

-          Creation of local market through the shopping of tourists:

-          Local community education:

If you can say more points on advantages, please write below

……………………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………..

7-      How do you rate the following disadvantages of tourism on the local community in respect of wayanad dist?

(Please rate using these measures: True, False, can’t say, don’t know)

-          Hike in goods

-          Cultural exploitation

-          Environmental destruction

If you can say more points on advantages, please write below

……………………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………..

8-      Do the DTPC or government make you aware of the sustainable tourism practices?

-          Yes

-          No

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All the information provided here should consider as most valued and I am thankful to you for paying your valuable time for my project work

                                           THANK YOU

         Questionnaire

I am SHAFEEQUE P pursuing MBA Tourism from Pondicherry University is now doing a project on the topic of “community development through the responsible tourism practices- A study on wayanad district, Kerala.” This questionnaire is to collect some valuable information from you regarding your experience in wayanad as a sustainable tourism spot. All the information providing here will be confidential and use only for the academic purposes.

1-      Name:

2-      Nationality:

3-      Age:

4-      Occupation:

5-      Have you ever visit wayanad before?

-          Yes

-          No

6-      How do you come to know about wayanad?

-          Travel agency

-          Friends

-          Internet

-          News paper and media

7-      How long will you stay in wayanad?

-          1 day

-          2 day

-          3 day

-          More than 3 day

            8 – Are you aware of sustainable tourism practices?

-          Yes

-          No

9-      If so, can you rate the sustainable tourism practices in wayanad?

-          Very good

-          Good

-          Average

-          Bad

-          Very bad

10-  How do you rate the activities and practices of VSS?

-          Very good

-          Good

-          Average

-          Bad

-          Very bad

11-  How do you rate the local people of wayanad?

-          Friendly

-          Rude

-          Behaving like a stranger

-          Behaving like a enemy

12-  Suggestions to promote wayanad as a sustainable tourism destination

……………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………….

13-  Suggestions to improve practices of the sustainable tourism in wayanad?

……………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………….

All the information provided here should consider as most valued and I am thankful to you for paying your valuable time for my project work

                                              THANK YOU