Responsible Tourism Guideline

1- Save money and environment by refilling water bottles during the tour. 

I know it's not always easy but you can ask your hotels, resorts, tour guides if there is any safe water filter available to refill bottles. Plastic is most hazardous to our health and eco-system. You might think that you are disposing plastic bottles/bags in bins, eventually it ends up in landfills so the best you could do is to reuse your bottles or carry metal water container while you're traveling. It will make big difference in the world. (1 traveler=4 water bottles@day, 8.9 million foreign tourists visited India in 2016 x 4 plastic bottles = 35.6 million bottles@day and I don't have figure of growing Indian tourists/travelers within India. It can be scary! 

But we can try to motivate others for refilling water bottles wherever possible, suggest your service providers to install water filter and encourage drivers/guides/visitors to refill their water bottles. Can't we? 

2- Please don’t take photographs of locals without their consent. 

Who doesn't have camera phone now a days? Who doesn't want to take pictures while traveling? Who doesn't want to share their travel memories with family, friends and even with the world? Everyone does! 

Nothing is wrong about taking pictures but there is a much better way to do it. Believe me I have seen so many visitors (including foreigners) taking pictures of local communities/tribes without even asking. Yes! I know there are many locals too who do the same seeing foreigners in their areas. Taking picture of anyone without their consent is not good. and we all know that. Anyone poses their cameras to strangers, is rude, impolite and inappropriate. You must gain their consent by talking to them, building bridge between you and them, try to know their cultural sensitivity, social impacts and what they (locals) think of you, your purpose of taking pictures, everything matters whether they can speak your language or not. 

Some photographers are even paying money to some of these locals, ignoring that what they are doing is not right. It changes the relationship between locals and visitors forever. People, especially children are chasing tourists/travelers for money, gifts and so on... Why? because someone paid them money for letting their pictures taken. Please don't do that! You rather spare some time with them, take interest in their lives, use local guides who know them, understand their culture well and can communicate on your behalf. It's not that difficult. :) In some areas/communities/situations it’s advisable to absorb beauty with eyes rather than taking pictures and spoiling the charm.

3- Do not give sweets/stationery/or anything to children. We advice you to consult parents, teacher, village head or your tour guide first.

I know many people would give things to children while they're traveling. And their objective is kind and clear: To make Children Happy :) I totally respect it. However sometimes due to cultural, social and behavior ignorance could lead this act of kindness to unfortunate end. Sometimes you may come across children asking for pictures, sweets, cosmetics, money, stationery... Because someone before you gave them any of these, they learnt to accept things from strangers/visitors and now they think every visitors roaming on their streets have something to give to them which is not true. By not having anything to give to these children, disappoints them instead. Isn't it sad? I think you can still share things with them consulting your guide, villager head, teacher or parent. Someone who know them better, have better understanding of that region, community and culture and children must not know that tourists gave them that. The worst of all is when you share/give something to some children and some others didn't get any. It's not fair to them and their innocent feelings/emotions. So it's rather advisable not to give them anything than giving them something and create unintentional chaos.

4- Do not accept plastic bags wherever you shop.

Once again, I repeat, please don't take plastic bags, carry fabric bag or reuse the one, you have already got from somewhere. I know it's very difficult but possible. Government has banned it in many parts but realistically it's still there. Not to go too deep in the subject, but yes if you say "No" to plastic, local shops/sellers would start offering fabric bags or paper bags instead of plastic bags. Believe me as an Individual I have succeeded to educate about 5 shops/businesses and now they are not using plastic bags so as a team (you, I and them) we can educate some more. Can't we? :) 

5- It’s good practice to buy souvenirs/handicrafts straight from the artisans/craft makers rather than from shops/traders/middlemen. First of all don’t buy anything under any obligation. Besides that the biggest challenge in the consumer world is that many goes to big, famous places and people who are well off. It has created big financial and social division among local artisans/shops. Often the gap between rich and poor results in jealousy, unhealthy competition and many other domestic problems that our country is already dealing with. Many visitors doesn't know when they are proudly buying crafts from so called master artisan/designer, that actually it is made by someone else whom they haven't met or will never going to meet. IF you have come all the way to see the process, meet the craftsmen and buy it straight from them, then why don't you do it? Buying straight from artisans means buy it from an individual artisan/maker, not from the shop/big boss/owner of the workshop or a person who used to be artisan himself/herself but not anymore. The whole purpose of buying local is not limited to visiting Kutch (local area) but buy it from the person who actually made it, whom you have met. Unfortunately for some people, shopping is not only to support local economy but also to satisfy their ego and greed. Usually the profit goes to the famous person and your purchases helps rich get richer. So please don't be those customer/consumer. It's not too difficult to find smaller artisans, craft makers or small shops.. You won't regret meeting them even if you still want to buy it from big guys but then never complain about poverty, exploitation or unfair business practices in the world because now you know where did we go wrong.

6- Avoid smoking, swearing, inappropriate dressing or any other behaviors that can be imitated by locals, especially by children.

It sounds ridiculous writing such things that every adult must know. but there are some visitors who need to be told this. Children sees and imitates. Initial curiosity could result in habit and eventually in addiction. We have talked enough about what's appropriate and inappropriate. Now it's time to Act. Don't forget that your visit, your action, everything you do in rural area, has impact on local culture and lifestyle. 

7- We recommend you to visit least visited villages/artisans/sites to avoid mass tourism and offer equal opportunities to locals. However accessing some communities require extra care if you don’t know their culture well enough.

8- Save money and environment by avoiding repeats in your journey and unnecessary drive by planning the route well ahead.

9-Use public transport/shared transport wherever possible. If we cannot share traveling, then when will we learn to share the world?

10- Make sure that your driver or guide have place to sleep wherever you stay, if not, talk to them for other alternatives.

11-We respect your interest in visiting some rare and endangered wildlife spices. Unfortunately WE DO NOT OPERATE in those areas to minimize impact of tourism to such endangered species and their habitats. Sometimes it’s better to sacrifice your dream, to protect fragile Eco system.

12-It’s pity to see beggars/poor people (especially children, handicapped and older people) Though we think, feeding hungry soul is better option rather than giving them money that you are not sure how they will use it.

13-Complaining about litter/garbage does not solve the problem but acting does. Support local NGOs, Volunteers, individuals whichever way you can. (by donating money, educating people, helping them cleaning streets, or public place to set example) or whichever way you think you can be helpful to the place you’re visiting.

14-Please support Kutch Adventures India (responsible tourism award winner for best in engaging people and culture) and voluntarily accept all or any of the above mentioned tips/guideline while visiting Kutch, Gujarat or anywhere else you go.

Thanks for being Responsible Visitor