Letter to Smt.Ambika Soni , Union Minister for Tourism and Culture

To,

Smt. Ambika Soni,
Union Minister for Tourism and Culture
Transport Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi.

Dear Madam,

AlJazeeraEnglish — 27 oktober, 2008 — Bali's tourism industry is booming but the influx of tourists is being blamed for a water shortage and contributing to a possible drought.

‘Human Rights and Tourism’ is the focus of this issue of Contours.

Abstract

The present paper is an attempt to integrate the concept of human rights into the mainstream tourism discourse. In the name of development, human rights are often neglected while there are definite long-term advantages to be gained by actively promoting it. The paper examines the human rights perspectives of the major stakeholder groups in tourism to finally arrive at a comprehensive picture. Implications of some of the general principles and proclaimed guidelines of human rights for tourism are discussed.

Tourism activities are usually based on existing unequal, exploitative relationships and consequently, the poorer and more vulnerable groups in the country of destination suffer disproportionately from the negative impacts of tourism. This article examines how states, corporations and individuals under existing international and national law, corporate initiatives and the evolving concept of Responsible Tourism may address these problems. Attention is focused upon the tourism industry in South East Asia and how human rights, in particular those of women, are affected.

Putting Tourism to Rights exposes the many human rights violations frequently perpetrated by the tourism sector, including:

• forced evictions from homes and lands to make way for tourism developments
• environmental damage and loss of access to natural resources, such as grazing land, coastal areas and fresh water
• exploitation of tribal peoples and their cultures as tourist attractions
• poor pay and working conditions for tourism industry employees