Look beyond CSR towards CSI says development expert
India has so much tourism potential it may take outside help "to develop it rapidly enough to cope with the growing travel needs of the South Asian giant," according to a development expert who also focused on the need to go beyond CSR.
Lelei LeLaulu, co-chairman of the Innovation for Sustainable Development Centre, told reporters covering the huge South Asia Travel and Tourism Expo (SATTE) the higher end of the tourism offerings was coping with demand "but below that there is a huge chasm which could be filled by inviting players from abroad to get involved."
"SATTE has done an excellent job of highlighting what is available now but foreign buyers are starting to look for more diverse offerings," he contended. "Companies with products ranging from luxury brands to business, family and economy travelers like America’s Choice Hotels are good models for the expanding Indian market," he averred.
LeLaulu, who is also chairman of the Leadership Council, Department of the Tourism and Hospitality Management of the George Washington University Business School, lauded SATTE’s president, Navin Berry, for his vision in focusing attention on the need for responsible tourism.
"It would be easy just to concentrate on the vibrant business generated in South Asia’s most important tourism meet but Navin Berry always tries to lead the industry into recognizing how responsible tourism is also good business," he asserted.
"National, state and municipal governments have to get into the act now by cutting its legendary red tape and creating enabling environments for Indian and foreign companies willing to invest good money in the tourism market which is set to really take off,"
In his formal address LeLaulu declared it was time to look beyond corporate social responsibility with companies "cutting a check once a year and forgetting it for the other 364 days — and impress on corporate leaders how responsible tourism is not philanthropy but sound business development." "We should be talking about a new paradigm: ‘corporate social investment’ because companies have to invest in their local communities to ensure long term corporate viability," he urged.
Valere Tjolle
Valere Tjolle is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2011 latest special offer at: www.travelmole.com/stories/1146228.php
Valere
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