Responsible tourism in India

It may feel like India is insane with issues when it comes to tourism but, in fact, like everything in India, they vary per region. And, in most cases, the issues are driven by poverty, inequality and sometimes just pure and simple inefficiency. India is a constant dichotomy, with hi tech companies ruling the roost in Bangalore, yet power blackouts a common occurrence in rural India. They have slum tourism and palace crawls in Mumbai. So, you can’t make generalisations about India. The issues are many, multi-faceted and ever changing. But most of all, Indian people will talk about them. They enjoy debate, can take criticism, welcome a cross-cultural conflab and, as this is in general a spiritual, caring country, they strive for positive change.

Tiger tourism

Seeing tigers in the wild is rare. But tigers are rare, with just over 3,000 in the wild, worldwide. India is home to half of these and, with poaching still a serious threat, it is vital to support conservation efforts through tourism. In the past it was even more difficult to spot the elusive tiger, but they have now become more used to jeeps and people, and are braving the open spaces, sometimes even with their cubs. The most usual way to see tigers is from a vehicle, either a jeep or a minibus although some parks are installing tree viewing platforms.

The best places for viewing are Bandhavgarh National Park, Corbett Tiger Reserve, Bandipur National Park, Kanha National Park, Periyar National Park and Pench Tiger Reserve. One other issue related to tiger watching is the use of elephants in national parks where tigers have their habitats. Although we do not endorse elephant trekking at Responsible Travel, as you will see from our ‘Elephants in tourism’ guide, we do recognise that, at Periyar, for example, the survival of the remaining tigers is simply too precarious to risk withdrawing the funding gained through elephant rides from the park; to do so would risk an instant increase in poaching and the demise of the species. Allowing elephant back safaris is far from an ideal situation, but we believe it is the “least bad” solution to a complex problem. Read more about the use of elephants in conservation here.

We highly recommend using the services of expert tour operators and guides to arrange a tiger safari as they know all the issues in their specific area. These should also be organisations that wholly engage with local communities, however, not just with national park authorities as the development of tiger tourism as an income source for local communities is vital.

While you are on a tiger safari, a few days at least is recommended, and the usual wildlife watching guidelines apply. Your guide should not take you too close and never tip guides more money to take you closer towards a tiger. Of course, wild animals should not be fed, touched or teased in any way. Read more about responsible tiger safaris in our guide.

The sexual exploitation of children for prostitution is a reality in India and, although a shock to many this is, horrifically, a growth area in tourism. We have rightly been advised by campaigning organisations not to refer to these young people as child prostitutes or sex workers. They are children who are victims of child rape. And the reality is that children are trafficked into India for this purpose from Bangladesh and Nepal, and then through India to Pakistan and the Middle East. It is thought that between 5,000 and 7,000 Nepalese girls are trafficked into India for sexual exploitation every year. Always report any suspect activities with regards to children to local authorities and, in particular, the tourism locations which are allowing it to happen. The Code (short for “The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism”) is an excellent point of contact for this purpose. Alternatively, you can email info@ecpat.net, who can refer your reports to their global network of contacts and law enforcement agencies. Elephant trekking, riding, washing and playing are not on our list of top things to do in India, as you can see from our ‘Elephants in tourism’ guide, although we make some exceptions when it comes to creating conservation income in national parks that helps protect endangered tigers. However, the mistreatment of these wild animals to titillate tourists is not something we endorse in any way. Elephant polo, popular in Rajasthan, wouldn’t be one of our favourites either, with elephants being trained at a young age using methods that compromise their welfare, such as shackling, the use of a bull hook and hours of unnatural tricks. There are orphanages in India which invite ‘voluntourists’, something we discourage as, in some cases, orphanages can become businesses rather than places of care. Untrained volunteers, however well-meaning, should not be allowed to work with vulnerable children, just as they would not in their home countries. And a high turnover of volunteers means that children become separated from people they have become attached to again and again. For this reason, we removed a large number of orphanage volunteer trips from our site in 2013. Read more about our orphanage campaign here. We also do not promote day trips to orphanages, schools or nurseries. These are disruptive for the children - and also puts them in the position of being a "tourist attraction", which is not something we would ever encourage. Being aware of cultural sensitivity is very important in India, when it comes to dress sense. For women, in particular, showing bare legs, shoulders and wearing low cut tops are a faux pas. And, in fact, if you cover yourself with light cotton, it is actually cooler as the sun isn’t hitting your skin, and also culturally acceptable. Women should also have a shawl to cover their head in a mosque. Also, being intimate with a partner in public is not welcomed either. Tipping is controversial. On one hand we recommend you don’t tip too much, as the standard of living is very different, and so just because you pay a tiny amount for a meal, doesn’t mean you have to give five times that amount as a tip. It creates a false economy. On the other, some people such as local guides depend on tips. At hotels there is a service charge but drivers and guides do depend on tips. Giving pens to children may be done with good intentions, but it has got a little out of hand. If you really want to give to charity, ask your tour operator for a good local charity to support. Most responsible tourism companies will have an associated with a local charity which is sustainable and transparent. And if you do want to donate items while in India, give items to a head teacher to distribute, rather than to the children direcly.