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Media release on 'Irresponsible Tourism Convention' Kerala
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Kochi: 22/03/2008: Civil society organizations and representatives of people's movements from various parts of Kerala, India organized a protest march against Kerala's irresponsible tourism practices and held a parallel people's Convention at Achuthamenon Hall, Eranakulam on "Irresponsible Tourism" under the banner of Kerala Tourism Watch. This convention was a response to the International Conference on Responsible Tourism held on 21st- 24th at Le Meridien in Kochi organized by Kerala Tourism and International Centre for Responsible Tourism- India. |
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Protest at tourism meet venue
Submitted by admin on Sun, 03/23/2008 - 10:16
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Staff Reporter, The Hindu,
KOCHI: Several activists on Saturday held a protest in front of the venue of the conference on responsible tourism organised by the Tourism Department terming it as an event supporting "irresponsible tourism". The police blocked the activists from entering Hotel Le Meridien, the venue of the programme. Later, they held a convention attended by members of various social and environmental groups in the State. |
Tourism model "unsustainable"
KOCHI: Kerala Tourism Watch, a coalition of activists and local communities, will organise a convention against “malpractices in Kerala Tourism” at the Achutha Menon hall, near Public Library, on Saturday. A press release issued by the organisers termed the international conference on responsible tourism being organised by the Tourism Department “a publicity stunt and intended at marketing the destination without addressing the fundamental issues.”
Kerala cuts tax on aviation fuel
New Delhi, Mar 6 Close on the heels of the huge cut in taxes for aviation turbine fuel (ATF) by the Andhra Pradesh government, the LDF government in Kerala on Thursday decided to cut the tax from 32% to 4%.
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CAG raps KTDC's venture with Taj Group
A joint-venture struck by a subsidiary of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) with one of the biggest names in the country’s hospitality industry, Taj Group, had been registering huge losses consecutively for the past nine years.Now, 15 years after the deal was struck, Tourism Resorts Kerala Limited (TRKL), KTDC’s subsidiary, looks trapped. It cannot even hope to terminate the jointventure because the arrangement was decidedly loaded in favour of the Taj Group, the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) noted.
Rampant encroachments threaten Malabar's biggest backwaters
As Kerala's Malabar region prepares itself for making it big in worlds tourism map, its biggest water body is facing threat of destruction by insensitive construction activities.Ashtamudi, Vembanad and Shasthamkotta lakes were declared Ramasar sites in 2002. By then, the tourism boom had its toll on their fragile ecosystem. We want the government to take measures to see to it that it is not happening here, said G D Nair, chairperson of the Payyanur Municipality, who is spearheading the campaign.
Tourism lobby distorting facts
Special Correspondent, The Hindu
Thiruvananthapuram: A workshop organised by Forum Kerala, a collective of NGOs for developmental intervention, has urged the Government to set up a people’s commission to study the impact of the tourism sector on Kerala in view of the increasing encroachments reported from various parts of the State.
Drive against tourism award to Kerala is a blessing in disguise
Several studies relating to tourism development in the state indicate that the socio-cultural impacts of tourism have been very negative. Tourism projects have displaced local people and affected their traditional occupations. The environmental impacts of tourism have also been negative particularly in the coastal zone and in the hills. Another fall-out of tourism is the growth in child prostitution. A 2001 study showed the children prostitution was very high in Kovalam. Out of 185 samples 22 per cent were found children. The study revealed that children were earning Rs700 to Rs1,000 per day.
