The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ecotourism Society of India (ESOI) for responsible and sustainable tourism. In accordance, Suman Billa, joint secretary, Ministry of Tourism, and Steve Borgia, honorary president, ESOI signed the MoU in presence of Vinod Zutshi, secretary, Ministry of Tourism.
The Ministry of Tourism and ESOI started the process a couple of years ago when they formulated and published the Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) and carried it to the grass root level through series of advocacy workshops. Through this MoU, it is expected that sustainable tourism and responsible tourism will take the forefront and achieve the commitments of the ministry’s action plan.
ESOI was established in 2008 at the behest of the Ministry of Tourism as a non-profit organisation to promote environmentally responsible and sustainable practices in the tourism industry across the country. This national body was formed by a group of eminent professionals from the tourism industry, government, parliament, and environmentalists and conservationists.
The society has, over the past eight years, attempted to spread awareness and educate tourism service providers as well as local government officials on the need to ensure sustainable tourism practices. It has also conducted13 workshops across the country in this context.
ESOI works closely with both central and state government bodies as well as relevant institutions and individuals to facilitate and support synergy of policies, initiatives and activities relating to responsible travel. The Ministry of Tourism has officially declared ESOI as their partner in helping to develop policy guidelines, code of conduct and ethical practices for sustainable tourism to position India as a global eco-tourism destination embracing responsible tourism guidelines across the various sectors of tourism, hospitality, transport, aviation etc.
ESOI will prepare a 10-year road map for advocacy and certification under STCI. The road map will be based on regional workshops held with relevant stakeholders across the country. ESOI, through stakeholder consultations, will formulate criteria and classification guidelines for certification for the accommodation and tour/travel operators within the STCI guidelines and later develop standards for destinations which will also be in sync with the internationally accepted Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.
