Bengaluru-based author CB Ramkumar now country envoy for sustainable tourism

Bengaluru: In a big boost to the Indian Tourism sector, city-based author C.B. Ramkumar has been appointed as the country representative for Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

Speaking exclusively to DC, Mr Ramkumar said that Indian youth are time-poor and cash rich, which means the Tourism Department must develop destinations to create experiences and only when we can sell experiences, tourist destinations will attract tourists.

Simplifying the sustainable tourism concept, he said, “Sustainable tourism is a total view of the sector, applying sustainable principles which are not just environmentally-centred. It’s a multi-fold concept which gives importance to effective planning of business, socio-economic growth locally, maintaining the cultural heritage of the destination and bringing down negative effects on a tourist destination. What is missing right now is holistic level approach to tourism sector.”

Elaborating that the tourism sector is not considered a money-making industry due to lack of an institutional framework, he said that when tourism sector does not benefit all the stakeholders, it will result in declining destination syndrome.

“Many beaches in Thailand lost tourists when the local government did not give importance to some of the beaches. When a destination is not commercially profitable, benefiting the local community, it does not sustain. Real time problems must be addressed and a destination must become profitable for all,” he suggested.