PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF ALTERNATIVE TOURISM IN WAYANAD
Jithendra Prasad
INTRODUCTION
Tourism refers to the movement of people from one place to another for various
purposes. These tours may be undertaken for studies, entertainment, sightseeing, etc…..
Wayanad is the 12th district in Kerala, the southern most state in India, formed in 1980. The folk etymology says that the name ‘Wayanad’ is the combination of ‘Wayal’(Paddy), and ‘Naad’(land), making it “The Land of Paddy Field”.
There are more tan 15 tourist spots in wayanad. Chembra peak, Banasura sagar, Meenmutty waterfalls, Uravu Thrikaipetta, Pookot lake, Kuruva dweep, Tholpetty wildlife sanctuary, Thirunelly temple, Edaykkal caves, Pazhassi Tomb & Museum, and Pakshi pathalam are some of the examples for that.
Individual tourist services and tourist products are different from Mass tourism by means of supply, organization and human resource involved is known as “ Alternative Tourism “. This alternative tourism includes echo tourism, adventure tourism, thematic tourism like that. These kinds of tourism related industries provide highest number of job opportunities. And for many countries like India, Egypt, France tourism is big source of revenue.
Actually this Alternative tourism concept is not like Mass tourism. A series of classifications and types comes under this. This Alternative tourism consists of small companies created by families, friends, or by some other groups. And they cave contact with the Community. Tourism is consists with social, natural, community values and that allows a positive relationship among locals and tourists.
The main disadvantages of tourism facing are pollution ( garbage’s pulling out by tourists may cause ) , spreading of communicable diseases , ……………
But tourism provides a lot of job opportunities, it leads to better understanding between people, helps to study or gain knowledge about the country’s culture, people and their life style, and it also helps to reducing our tension and conflicts.
HYPOTHESIS
In Wayanad Alternative tourism is facing many problems. It is affecting tourists and people who are living depend on tourism alike. Over crowding may cause for pollution, and for spreading communicable disease.
Also it has many possibilities now and in future. Alternative tourism helps tourists to know more about our culture, living hood, habits, arts and all. It provides a lot of job opportunities. It helps to gain foreign exchange.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
I am doing this project to study about the possibilities and problems of Alternative tourism in Wayanad.
: To understand the ways in which Alternative tourism helps in protecting the environment.
: To inform the society about the importance of tourism.
: Finding the problems and giving suggestions.
: To learn how tourism affect society and tourist at the same time.
: To know about foreign tourist’s culture and life style, and help them to know about our
culture and life style.
MODE OF STUDIES
I collected in formations from Bamboo village tourism centre through a telephonic interview, and from the person who is in charge of Kabani Alternative tourism organization, from internet and from IELTS book.
Bamboo village :
Bamboo village is one of the tourist spot in Wayanad. It is located at Thrikaipetta. Around 200 people are living here depend on tourism. And the spot is rich biodiversity and they are currently being practiced various farm and non-farm there. Actually this Bamboo village is working focused on Bamboo. It is the centre point of this tourism. They are using pure natural resources here. Basically it is a kind of community sharing tourism. Because here all the families equally getting benefits from tourism.
For example: If there are 20 tourist guests, then they cannot stay together. Five or six families will make facilities for them. So they have to stay in different houses. Food is also like that. Then the main advantage is each family from this will get benefit from it. For each guest they are charging 150 Rs /- for food.
Foreigners are here to learn or to know about our culture, living hood, habits, food, education, agriculture and all. And this Bamboo village is providing such facilities for them.
The main programmers they are conducting are:
1) Village Visit : It starts from morning 8 to till evening 4 O’clock. From this visit they can learn how villagers are living, their culture, they can share their knowledge and all.
2) Crafting : Through this programme villagers help them to learn how to make low construction materials using bamboo, food products, huts using bamboo, participation in different agricultural activities.
And now in bamboo village, they are planning to do: Ayurveda massage treatment, Arts, like Yoga, Kadhakali, Theyyam, and many another art forms.
Most of the time there will be about 40 to 50 tourists. So there is no difference between season and off-season.
And also they are conducting programmes for students like, providing in formations about the relation between education and tourism, arts and culture, forest visiting, study about plants and animals through classes, seminars and all.
And they are trying to develop Bamboo village as an: “International Alternative Tourism Centre“.
Tour MASC :
The farmer community of Wayanad organized a tour programme called ‘TOUR MASC’.
This gives their guests a very participative and mutually beneficial experience.
In TOUR MASC, each letter has its own meaning:
T - Stands for: ‘Tradition’. Here farmer groups help them to learn about our tradition, culture, arts and other.
M - Stands for: ‘Meet the people’. They will take tourists to the interiors of the villages to meet different kinds of people, to know their culture and how they are living.
A - Stands for: ‘Agriculture’. Here guides helps foreign tourists to participating different agricultural activities, and o feel the smell of mud.
S - Stands for: ‘Sky’, this including mountain climbing. It is a wonderful chance to the tourists to touch the sky from the top of the mountain.
C - Stands for: ‘Crafts’. It means mounded forms of land, land lord, nature, and people. It also helps tourists to carry back home sweet memories from the days with us.
Kabani is also like Bamboo village it is non profit initiative of a group of people who love their land and want others to love it too. Kabani is working for tourism and development on people’s livelihood and environment. The name kabani is derived from one of the rivers in kerala that flowing the opposite direction of the other rivers.
They are working towards a better tourism model in India, which finds its basis in the local people, focusing on the socio-economic security and sustainability of the place. They are carrying out research, campaigns, advocacy and training activities to promote tourism and development. They have branches in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Tourism has good demand today. Kabani is not seeing it as a Business. In the large global tourism network they are working as an active member. They are conducting many awareness programmes to inform the society about the importance of tourism.
Tourists they are not expecting any posh facilities for them, so the quality here kabani is providing is not like that much better. Tourists are also protecting the nature like us, so there is no problem of pollution.
Communication problems are also solved at a level. Now they are developing good relationships there, and also showing natural festivals and cultural programmes. They didn’t receive any bad feedbacks from the tourists. Transport facilities kabani providing is also local, because tourists like to travel in such vehicles.
ANALYSIS
From this project I found that there are many problems and possibilities of alternative tourism.
Bamboo village is one of the main tourist spot in Wayanad. They are mainly focusing on ‘Bamboo’. Here they are providing many facilities to the foreigners to learn about our culture, life style, arts, food, craft making and all. Village visit is one of the main programme they are conducting. They are trying to develop much more facilities there. Actually their plan is to make Bamboo village as an “International Alternative Tourism Centre”.
Tour MASC is another tourism programme that is organized by farmer communities of Wayanad. They are also making many facilities& programmes like Bamboo village.
Meeting different kinds of people, participating different agricultural programmes, mountain climbing, crafting are some of the main programmes conducting by them.
Kabani is also like Bamboo village it is non profit initiative of a group of people.
Its name came from one of the rivers in Kerala. In this large network of tourism they are working as an active member for the development of tourism and to protect nature and our traditions. They are also conducting many awareness programmes, study classes, researches, and training activities to inform the tourists and the society about the importance of tourism. Actually they are working towards a better tourism model in India.
DEDUCTION
By this project I found many problems and possibilities in Alternative tourism.
1) Tourists are coming here only in seasons it will affect the people who are living depend on Tourism.
2) Lack of tourists: Many tourist areas in Wayanad they are facing problems with lack of tourists, because here in Wayanad facilities for the tourists is very less.
3) Most of the alternative tourism spots are looking only for making money. They are overcharging the tourists.
4) Communication problem: Foreigners are here to know and to study about us. For it they have to communicate with us. But in a place like Wayanad people are not that much educated. This is one big problem.
5) Cleanliness in tourist spots: Tourists are pulling out garbage like plastic & non-degradable things in tourist spots. It makes pollution in these areas.
6) Bomb blast, Terrorist attacks, Tsunami, Flood also may cause for lack of tourists.
7) Sometimes overcrowding may cause for communicable diseases.
These are some of the main problems Alternative tourism facing.
SUGGESTIONS
I have some suggestions to solve some of those problems.
1) I think there is no chance to interact foreigners with local people living here. They are here to learn about us. So they have to communicate with us. But the problem is there is no avenue or there is no particular place for it. So if Government or panjayath provide such a facility it will be very helpful for every one.
2) Foreigners are learning our culture and life style. Then why don’t we are not learning their culture. If we are conducting some programmes to show their talents in front of us, it will be good.
3) In off-seasons we can conduct study tour, classes and seminars for students in these tourist places, about culture, living hood of Wayanadans. So we can solve jobless problems. Otherwise people who all are living depend on tourism will have to face problems in off-seasons.
4) We can provide tourists living libraries, institutions, study centre like AFRC. And from here people or students can interact with foreigners. It will be helpful for both of them.
REFERENCES & RESOURCES
1 .Mr. Baburaj , one of the director in Uravu, Wayanad
2. Mr. Sumesh who is in charge of Kabani and Bamboo village tourist organizations.
3. Mr. Anil Emage ,director AFRC.
4. Internet and IELTS book (written by George John).
