Dr. MaheshKaul
The evolution of world order based on universal sustainability that develops the societies conscious of integral development in all spheres of human activity is the hallmark of ethical values that define the purpose of humanity. The broad dimensions of human development that are eminently visible all over the world include economic, social, health, religious, environmental, cultural and political goals.It can include many more but by and large these dimensions encompass the comprehensive motivation of all humanity to live a life that is healthy and peaceful.
Any mechanism that evolves a model of human development within this framework is destined to shape a world order that makes societies and nations competent to defeat the challenges of governance and deliver benefits to all sections of society.
It is in this direction that the United Nations General Assembly announced 2017 as the International year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. It was underlined that tourism can contribute to all the three main dimensions of sustainable development. That includes economic, social and environmental besides the other 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Tourism has evolved over the decades not only as a business area where multiplier effect in terms of marketing leisure is the only objective but it has predominated various areas of governance and expanded its horizons.The reason being its reach in terms of multidisciplinary approach and involvement of peripheral services that includes transportation and accommodation.
Earlier it was seen as the process of releasing people from the routine of day to day activities that developed fatigue and lead to a kind of inertia in terms of working.But with the change in the world order during and after the cold war it established itself not only as a catalyst of business models but prompted the countries across the globe to introduce it as a professional subject at the master’s level in the universities and encouraged research to inject a sense of innovation.
Traditional outlook of tourism as a foreign exchange earner and the catalyst for infrastructural development has taken a new dimension that goes beyond even the employment generation paradigm and entrepreneurship discourse. It has situated the tourism in the mainstream policy making. It was termed as the soft business till recently but now it has become an instrument that shapes the national policies to integrate the local issues in terms of global challenges.
This has been identified in this year’s theme for the World Tourism Day.The theme “Sustainable Tourism-A Tool for Development”is a testimony to the fact that the world leaders and the policy makers that shape the opinion have internalised that tourism is not just an intangible product that has to be marketed with a focus on economic multiplier effect. But the flight is to take it to new heights.
This year’s theme if decoded with a keen eye is meant to recognise the comprehensive contribution of tourism in shaping the human life to make it more durable ; opening the new vistas that can be swayed by tourism without any extra effort.
17 sustainable goals identified by the United Nations General Assembly are in fact centrally dependent on the dimensions identified for the year 2017 as the year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.And this Development includes economic, social and environmental issues.
If looked from the close quarters these three areas demystify the myth that tourism only leads to the economic multiplier effect but goes much beyond it as it transcends the national borders and embraces local factors of social and environmental framework that have aesthetic importance at the local level.But when evaluated from a macroscopic level it brings to the fore that these local issues within these two themes of social and environmental framework may be local but they have the global presence in every culture.Thus making it incumbent upon the nations that are striving to increase the living standard of its people to accept that tourism is not only a national indicator of human progression but as an international variable that has a specific value in every locale.
It is an interesting development as theWTO -World Tourism Organisation that is the official torch bearer of Tourism for the UN has integrated Sustainable Tourism for Development in terms of this year’s theme for the World Tourism Day.
The main objective that can be internalised from this year’s theme Sustainable Tourism -A Tool for Developmentis that it has more than literal meaning.It strives to take the definition of tourism to a new horizon where it is not only seen as the catalyst of Multiplier Effect in Economy but making it clear that tourism has a domain that engulfs within its ambit the social empowerment and environmental protection.It won’t be an exaggeration to say that the tourism practitioners and the policymakers have come to the conclusion that tourism is a well-meaning human activity that nurtures in its bosom the urge for development and sustainability.
It underscores the point that in the coming times it will be better to evaluate the effects of tourism in terms of social and environmental multiplier effects and not only in terms of economic multiplier effect.
Tourism thrives in societies that have rich legacy of cultural moorings and aesthetic uniqueness; setting one locale different from another in terms of social systems,rituals,traditions,religions.This whole spectrum of social activity leads to the cultural development and when this culture crystallises over the period of time and sustains the thrusts and pressures it emerges as heritage that includes both tangible and intangibleaspects .
The Millennium Development Goals that have been identified bythe UN are comprehensive objectives that have to beachieved to minimise and if possible to erase all these challenges with a global co-operation.Tourism influences these areas as identified in these goals as it is both a mass activity that involves the movement of people and the currency as well. Besides it enables the people from different cultures and environments to interact and share their experiences.This year’s thrust is to cash on these opportunities without any special effort as these are integral to any tourist activity.
But the important thing to ponder and appreciate is that tourism has come of age and emerged as the policy imperative that can help to strategize the global leaders to achieve the human goals of sustainability and development through it.
It is an achievement where other areas of business,policy making and governance have failed in terms of integrating the global human sustainability model with development ,tourism has succeeded and appeared as a beacon light and torch bearer of human response to challenges in terms of sustainability.
This year’s theme for the World Tourism Day is an achievement for the tourism practitioners, marketers, policy makers and those responsible for preservation and conservation of cultural heritage. The reason being when multidisciplinary approach and inclusive nature of tourism is adopted for development then it leads to the good governance on one side and the achievement of sustainability goals for the millennium on the other.
It is a matter of celebration for all those people who have been working for decades to situate tourism as a tool of effective governance and socio-cultural reforms.
The author is a Consultant with J & K Institute of Management Public Administration & Rural Development(J&K IMPARD), Jammu.)
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