Responsible tourism founder visits district

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Harold Goodwin, founder member of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT), visited Kudumbashree units in Vellar and Kottukal the other day. In Kerala as part of a Responsible Tourism (RT) programme, Harold visited Pioneer Paper Bag Unit; Vrindhavan Activity Group involved in dairying; Karthika JLG engaged in collective farming and Poornima Activity Group that makes Kathakali models from paper pulp.  Harold, who is also the Professor of Responsible Tourism Management at Leeds Metropolitan University, evinced interest in understanding the workings of the groups, their markets and income pattern. He relished the traditional ‘sadya’ arranged by Kudumbashree members.  ICRT, founded in 2002, works to promote the principles of the Cape Town Declaration that calls for promoting RT. A press note said that among others, RT propounds reducing negative economic, environmental and social impacts, generating greater economic benefits for local people and involving local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances.