Green Travels Ahead
IT WAS NEARLY 10 YEARS AGO when Sarai at Toria (saraiattoria.com), a small retreat on the banks of River Ken, first vocalised its no-bottled-water policy. I remember the look of disbelief on the travel consultant’s face. We have come a long way since then, and the conversation around single-use plastic and other issues on the responsible tourism front has gained momentum. Now, the pandemic has given us an opportunity to reboot, to encompass all aspects of sustainable travel into a robust strategy, which puts the onus on everyone—from the government to the traveller.
The endeavour for responsible tourism has always been at odds with state tourism boards and the), is yet to find enthusiastic support. But in the wake of the COVID-19 disruption, a series of webinars titled Dekho Apna Desh (literally, see our country) by the ministry has ensured that overtourism is addressed by putting the spotlight on lesser known Indian destinations.
