THE (IR)RESPONSIBLE TOURIST

I love travelling- and cannot deny that I like doing so in comfort! I love going to all sorts of destinations-but my favorites are the ones where I can be away from the city crowds, amidst vast open spaces and greenery- add some mountains or a large stretch of beach and sea-side and it makes for the perfect holiday spot. Yes, I am happy to be amidst nature-happier still if I can enjoy it in comfort- 

The "comfort"of not having to worry about planning three meals a day, or cook them myself, or even make a shopping list of mundane requirements. Ah what bliss to be in the middle of nowhere and yet have the "genies" of the hospitality industry to cater to your-simple- wishes...genies, coz they leave you alone unless you want them around. These places do exist, if only in my dreams...which are oft broken by other fellow 'tourists'!

Over the years I have however been noticing other holidaying people and it has struck me that people away from their own home, people who are out to holiday and have a good time, let themselves loose-literally. They are so intent on having a good time that they forget certain basics-and after all the talk on “Responsible tourism” I do feel one aspect of “responsible tourism” has been highly undervalued: the “Responsible Tourist”! Tourists are indeed considered part of a problem (I thought so as well having seen the way –sigh-most people-thankfully not all of them-behave when on a holiday). But I do believe they should be treated as part of the solution and not just the problem!!

We all study civics at school, how many of us are actually able to practice civic sense- how many of those teachers just mete out the DOs and DONTs on auto-play mode, without even registering what they say beyond the scope of finishing a syllabus or just "sounding good"? How many of us actually take the trouble to follow it and set an example? How many of us take the easy way out saying: oh in the crowd what difference will one person make?

When we go to a tourist destination, why do we forget that it is home to someone else? How would we want visitors and guests in our home to behave? Would we be happy cleaning up after them or would we be happier if they came, enjoyed themselves and still left our homes neat and clean?

N.S. 5/8/2011