TourismConcern campaign report

Developing a Code of Conduct for houseboats in Alleppey, Kerala, India

Summary Key Achievements This report documents our 2015 work A survey of nearly 1000 with partners in Alleppey to develop a households on the backwaters in Code of Conduct for Houseboats. The the Alleppey region, revealing a work follows on from previous project range of negative impacts deriving work with southern Indian coastal from houseboat tourism (2012). communities. Feedback from Tourism Concern Houseboat tourism ofers a wonderful members and other tourists way to experience the beauty of the regarding their own experiences backwaters. Although it could and of houseboat tourism in Kerala. should be a model of ethical tourism, and a valuable and sustainable source Establishing support for the initiative from UK tour operators who take guests to of local income, its current expansion the backwaters, including through AITO, ABTA and the Travel Foundation. is unregulated, causing increasingly adverse social and environmental A comprehensive consultation with those involved in houseboat tourism impacts. including: local communities; houseboat owners; houseboat owners’ associations; government departments; the Department of Tourism; In 2012 we undertook a survey of 1000 families living along the backwaters. academics; etc. Tis indicated that houseboat tourism A meeting, chaired by the Director of Tourism, of over 40 representatives of was adversely afecting their lives these stakeholders. An outline of our key findings was presented. Agreement and that the issues troubling them also threatened the environmental on the need for a Code of Conduct and for establishing a committee, with sustainability of the backwaters and of representatives of the key stakeholders, to oversee the development, adoption the houseboat industry itself. and monitoring of the Code. Prompted by these findings we Development of detailed best practice guidelines, including suggestions for have been talking with as many practical ways in which their adoption might be facilitated. stakeholders as possible in order to understand the issues better and to Setting up and meeting of the Implementation and Monitoring Committee under come up with practical suggestions the auspices of the Department of Tourism. for addressing them. This process has led us to drafting best practice Adoption of our draft Code of Conduct by the Department of Tourism. guidelines and to proposing a Agreement to develop ‘model boats’ – helping up to 50 boat owners to comply process for encouraging and monitoring compliance, both with the Code. In the process, identifying practical challenges to be met so it agreed with the Kerala Department will be easier for all boats to be operated more sustainably. of Tourism.

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Background with paddy felds irrigated by the Tourism Concern had also been backwaters sufering from oil, sewage contacted by returning tourists Tourism Concern has worked with and rubbish from the houseboats. and tour operators taking guests partners in southern India since to Kerala, all concerned about 2004. Following the tsunami in Local people also told us about invasion backwaters tourism. Tey were December that year, communities of their privacy, with tourist boats reporting similar problems, who had been devastated by mooring wherever they want – ofen alongside issues to do with value for the disaster were facing a range even overlooking private houses. Tey money and health and safety. Tey of problems being wrought by described inappropriate behaviour by wanted help in identifying better run aggressive tourism development visitors, including drunkenness, noise boats. in its afermath – exploiting their and explicitly sexual behaviour. vulnerability, forcing them of Clearly not every houseboat operator The team their land and threatening their We chose to work with Sudha Soni as livelihoods. pollutes the waters, or allows the behaviour of their guests to adversely our Indian partner. Sudha had taken From 2009 to 2012 we ran a DFID- afect local people. Nonetheless, the over the role of Project Manager Empowering funded project: Empowering problem is very widespread. Increasing in India for the coastal communities for effective numbers of tourists and tour operators, Coastal Communities project tourism policy engagement, including those from the UK, have in 2011 and was very successful seeking to help some of the been wanting to know how to choose in focusing and deepening our people being afected. Our work better run boats. Tus was born the engagement with the issues. Tis was particularly efective in the idea of developing a Code of Conduct included overseeing the survey of Alleppey region of Kerala where, – both to hold houseboat owners households which precipitated the working with our local partners to account and to help identify and current project. Now running the Kabani and GSGSK, we developed a promote those who are pursuing best Environment Collaborative, based in comprehensive network for in-depth practice. Alleppey, Sudha has demonstrated engagement with grassroots level genuine concern, dedication and groups, particularly women. Legitimacy a unique ability to build trust with Tourism Concern’s policy before stakeholders, from villagers up to In 2012, we conducted a survey adopting any proposed project is to government. of nearly 1000 households asking establish whether it is appropriate questions about tourism and how it and legitimate. What are the sources Funding afected them. Amongst other things, of motivation, power and expertise Whilst our previous work in India this revealed that houseboat tourism, involved? Can we ofer expertise had been made possible by funding whilst clearly benefting the local which will help to improve a situation from DFID, this work has largely been economy, is also creating a range of and have we the right to do so? In facilitated by Tourism Concern’s own negative impacts, not least due to the this case our help was being sought funds – mostly derived from the fees sheer number of boats crowding the by NGOs representing local people in and donations of our supporters. We backwaters. India, and we felt we had experience are proud to have achieved so much in that might help us to act as a catalyst under a year and with a budget of less

The issues for positive change. than £8,000. One of the most pressing issues revealed in our survey is that sewage and plastic waste are regularly being dumped into the waterways. With over 80 per cent of households who live along the backwaters relying on them for washing, cooking, and even drinking, such pollution poses a real threat to people’s health. Meanwhile, local fshermen stated that fuel, sewage and plastic are afecting fsh and prawn catches. Livelihoods within the agricultural sector are similarly being hit, TourismConcern campaign report

Project Activities had developed, but also what the potential ways of mitigating them Stakeholders Gathering evidence could be, and possible practical Civil Society Our frst priority was to seek to challenges. Tere are numerous Backwaters communities verify the fndings of our survey. groups and individuals (stakeholders) NGOs representing them Extensive background research in houseboat tourism, from tourists Environmental groups to boat owners, government showed that similar concerns are Academics departments to local communities expressed in numerous studies and UK and international tourists (see stakeholder table, right). All of reports, including by academics and Domestic tourists by the Kerala government itself. these stakeholders have their own perspectives on the issues, some of Houseboat workers Tese included Kuoni’s Assessing which inevitably confict. Trade Unions Human Rights Impacts report, published in 2014, to which It has therefore been important Public Sector Tourism Concern contributed. to listen to these views – via Ministry of Tourism Its key aim was to ‘gain a more dozens of consultative meetings, Pollution Board of Control precise understanding of the human focus groups and workshops in India. Tis required patience and Ports Authority rights context of its operations Local government (panchayat) and business relationships in even-handedness – the mutually Kerala Responsible Tourism/KITTS India’ and the report included a reinforcing partnerships we have been trying to establish needed section analysing the community Private Sector to recognise the self-interest of impacts of the houseboat industry. Houseboat owners’ associations Kuoni found the same issues that each party and seek to fnd some consensus. Individual houseboat owners we had uncovered and gave a Local tour operators recommendation to ‘launch and Meanwhile we also followed UK and international tour operators implement a project with innovative up on the views of tourists and business partners, NGOs, specialists tour operators. Establishing and and the government to develop a communicating their support was were in touch with almost all of the best practice for houseboats’ – clear useful in demonstrating the business tour operators taking UK guests synergy with our own fndings. case for supporting a Code to to Kerala. Tere was widespread houseboat owners. With the help of enthusiasm and support for our Seeking consensus the Association of Independent Tour initiative. We were also helped in It was vital to fully understand the Operators (AITO), the Association identifying some houseboats that are nature of the various problems we of British Travel Agents (ABTA) already being run sustainably. had identifed: not only why they and the Travel Foundation, we Tourists, including Tourism Concern members, continue to provide important feedback about their experiences on the backwaters.

Presenting a draft Code Troughout the process of investigating the issues and talking to various stakeholders, we have been drafing and redrafing the elements of the proposed Code, and looking at the issues that might arise in seeking solutions. In April Peter Bishop visited India and met with many of the stakeholder groups, including the Director of Tourism, P.I. Sheik Pareeth. His visit concluded by organising a workshop in Alleppey, TourismConcern campaign report

chaired by the Director. Over 40 people attended and Peter and Sudha Soni presented the draf Code shown on the next page. It was deliberately presented as work in progress – whilst some were keen for us to simply ‘tell them what to do’, others needed reassurance that we were facilitators of a process in which they could continue to have meaningful involvement. Establishing the support of the Kerala Department of Tourism has been an important outcome of our work to date. Under their auspices, the proposed multi-stakeholder ‘monitoring and implementation tour operators and tourists to choose Tere are plenty of reports of day committee’ has now been set up. best practice owners. We also aim to trips, with perhaps 30 to 40 people Tis will be an essential forum for work with a number of ‘model boats’, on board, dumping rubbish as they seeking consensus and ongoing helping them to comply with the picnic on the shore, and we ourselves development of the code. Code while also learning more about have seen noisy and drunken groups the challenges to compliance. on several boats. Challenges Whilst the support of the Meanwhile the industry is a What happens next? government is essential, it also powerful lobby. Whilst we are Tere is agreement that our project generates some challenges. Tere can supported by many owners, a few team should conduct further research be friction between the government’s feel our work represents collusion directly with houseboat owners and desire to regulate houseboats and the with the government and threatens workers in order to understand better practical challenges for houseboat to interfere with their business. the practical issues of compliance. owners in keeping their operations Tis sensitivity is understandable, Information will be fed back to the proftable. Just telling owners what particularly for owners who already committee, which it is envisaged to do has not proved efective to run their businesses responsibly. will meet regularly to seek solutions date; they also need training and It is also amplifed by the fact that to these issues as well as to monitor practical assistance. Tere is a houseboats are not the only polluters progress towards compliance. further danger that various pressures of the backwaters. Agricultural run on government time could delay the of, for example, has been shown to Meanwhile we are seeking boats to process. A change of government be particularly devastating for fsh take part in the proposed ‘model’ could even derail it. stocks. boat project outlined above, and fundraising to support this vital next It is therefore important for us to Some owners feel that, having agreed stage. Te boats taking part should continue to lobby for the changes the problems, they can be trusted represent diferent parts of the we wish to see, and to maintain to self-regulate. However, given the market – both the more luxurious control over some aspects of the practical and fnancial challenges to boats and lower budget owners who work. compliance, we feel that there needs may face diferent challenges. to be a more formal monitoring At the same time we recognise that process. We would also like a process Finally, we need to ensure the Tourism Concern, having facilitated for recognising improvement Code is widely recognised and a process that has resulted in the towards compliance – a way in promote boat operators owners draf code, should not necessarily be which prospective travellers can that are seeking to adopt best involved in all aspects of the practical choose better run boats. practice. Tis work will be ongoing. decision-making and governance We will continue to work with issues that must follow. Our role Another challenge lies in addressing all the stakeholders to keep up should be to continue to monitor and the impact of the increase in domestic the momentum towards a more encourage the ongoing process, and tourists, who ofen have diferent sustainable approach to backwaters to encourage UK and international sensitivities regarding waste disposal. tourism. TourismConcern campaign report

Draft Code of Conduct

COMPONENT RELATED ISSUES SUGGESTED ACTIONS

1 Sewage disposal Number of Sewage Treatment Provision of additional STPs Plants (STPs) Mobile STPs? Access to STPs / Frequency of use Improved STP technology? Time taken to pump out Computerised records of pump out

2 General waste disposal Segregation of waste into Waste drop off points biodegradable, recyclable and other Composting facilities Collection of different waste Collection of recyclable waste Information for guests Making guests aware

3 Engine effluents Disposal of waste oil etc Provision of waste drop off points Oil/water separators Regular maintenance Engine maintenance

4 Numbers of boats/ Start and stopping points Additional start and stopping points congestion Routes Moratorium on new boats being built Mooring points Alternative start and finish points

5 Standard of houseboats Inspections Regular inspections and Classification classification of boats

6 Behaviour of guests Zero tolerance of: Staff responsible for guests’ Drug abuse behaviour? Drunkenness Training of staff Sex tourism Information for guests Abuse of staff / local people

7 Information for tourists What to expect All boats to carry standard Dos and don’ts information, and introductory video Introductory video Briefing before departure Code of conduct on tourist behaviour All guests to a receive a copy of Code

8 Health and safety Provision of safety equipment Clear information for guests Hygiene rules? Training for staff First aid Enforcement of Port Authority rules Emergency contacts Mobile police unit?

9 Staff training All aspects Government training programme Certificate of training Dealing with difficult guests. Hospitality training?

10 Fair Employment Fair pay Fair treatment of staff to be Working conditions (provision of demonstrable to guests adequate facilities on board) Union membership OTHER Monitoring Enforcement of rules Promotion TourismConcern campaign report

Alleppey and Vembanad Lake How can you help us? Become a member of Tourism Concern tourismconcern.org.uk/join/

Make a donation at tourismconcern.org.uk/ save-alleppey/

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Alleppey is an area of Kerala in the far south west of India. Much of the district is taken up by Vembanad lake – one of the largest lakes in India (over 2000km2) and a Ramsar-protected wetland.

Major livelihood activities of the people living on the shores of the lake include agriculture, fishing, tourism, inland navigation, coir retting, and lime shell collection.

The lake is also at the heart of Kerala Backwaters tourism with hundreds of houseboats (kettuvallams) plying its waters and numerous resorts on its banks.

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