RESPONSIBLE TOURISM - A GRASS ROOT LEVEL EMPOWERMENT MECHANISM: CASE STUDY FROM KERALA

Abstract

When the scale of growth shifts from economic terms to human development indicators, it is the empowerment of people of bottom level decides the real development of nations. To ensure faster, sustainable and inclusive growth, participation of people from all walks of life is essential especially for the marginalized sector. The concepts of local self governance and participatory approach pave way for democratic decentralization and sustainable development of villages. In par with these concepts, a novel approach Responsible Tourism (RT) charts new trend in grass root level empowerment by ensuring involvement of all the different sectors of society. Here the article articulates the strategies and institutional mechanism of RT initiatives of Kerala as a strategy for the empowerment of common people in tourism destinations.

Keywords

• Decentralization