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Green Circuit officially launched at WTM London

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

Fiona Jeffery, Chairman of World Travel Market WTM, officially launched the Green Circuit during the celebrations of World Responsible Tourism Day in London. At the stand of the International Center for Responsible Tourism – India – she personally congratulated the members of the unique travel experience partnership: Asit Biswas, Help Tourism, Sandeep Sinha and Gopinath Parayil from Blue Yonder Holidays, Ishita Khanna from Spiti-Ecosphere, Vishwaraj Gyawali from Socialtours/SocialTreks and Asit Biswas from Help Tourism.

Launching Green Circuit on WTM

Tags: Green Circuit, ICRT India, Responsible Tourism, WTM
Posted in About Help Tourism, ICRT India, In the media | 1 Comment »

Best NGO engaged in Sustainable Tourism

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

India’s No.1 business channel, CNBC Awaaz, was looking for the best in travel and tourism.

CNBC AWAAZ Travel Awards is divided into 41 award categories which include 28 research based categories, four categories decided by the jury panel and 9 citations.

One of those categories honored what Help Tourism is all about: The Best NGOs engaged in Sustainable Tourism. And…

WE GOT IT!!!

cnbc-awaaz-award-2009

Here’s a media review on the Awards

Tags: Awards, Responsible Tourism
Posted in About Help Tourism, In the media | 1 Comment »

Help Tourism launches Peace Park on World Environment Day

Friday, June 12th, 2009

Help Tourism in association with WBFDC launches first-of-its-kind Tourism Peace Park in the country

Help Tourism in association with West Bengal Forest Development Corporation (WBFDC) has launched the first-of-its-kind Tourism Peace Park in Noam Chel Teesta situated near East of Teesta River and between Neora Valley National Park, Garumara National Park and Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary. This part of the said area, North of Oodlabari is mostly under the management of West Bengal Forest Development Corporation (WBFDC) and the South area is mostly managed by the Baikanthapur Forest Division, therefore a major concern is the conservation of the rich natural resources. This Park has been launched in order to promote Community Based Tourism (CBT) in the East Himalayas. This information was divulged by Supratim Raj Basu, Ecotourism Consultant, Help Tourism.#

In addition, CBT initiators have tied up with ten villages in the North of West Bengal where they provide various activities such as home stays, trekking, nature study, camping, cycling, forest drive, cultural encounters of six different communities et al for tourists visiting the Park. The main idea is to develop Community Based Tourism (CBT) and provide support to maintain peace and harmony among different communities existing there. They also provide various packages of six nights and seven days ranging between Rs 500-Rs 1,000 per person, per day. According to their brochure most villages situated inside the Park are not known and no modern development has been undertaken there as yet unlike other parts of West Bengal. The inhabitants find their livelihood from nature around them. The area is home to several animals like leopards and elephants etc.

According to certain sources, the initiative for developing the Tourism Peace Park was led by Pallab Basu of Oodlabari Tourism Development Association, officials of WBFDC and Help Tourism members. They had their first meeting regarding the same in December 2008 at a factory of Assam Bengal Veneer Industries (ABVI). The meet was attended by 61 local stake holders from the several villages.

Source: Travel Biz Monitor, www.travelbizmonitor.com
Thursday, June 11, 2009, 17:00 Hrs [IST], By Anish V Punnackattu | New Delhi

more pictures from the peace park

Tags: camping, community-based-tourism, cultural encounters, cycling, Dooars, forest drive, Garumara Nationalpark, home stays, Khawas, Lepcha, Limboo, Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Mech, nature study, Neora Valley, Peace, Rai, Sherpa, Tamang, Tea, Tea tourism, trekking
Posted in About Help Tourism, Community Development, Conservation, In the media | No Comments »

ICRT India gets good response for Responsible Tourism webinar

Monday, April 27th, 2009

Sunday, April 26, 2009, 15:00 Hrs [IST]
Plans to organise Webinar at WTM, London and ITB, Asia
By TBM Staff | New Delhi

TravelBizmonitor.com

International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) India organised a Webinar (online seminar) day before yesterday in New Delhi. A large number participated in the seminar, which provided information on Responsible Tourism practices in India and abroad. It provided a common platform to various Responsible Tourism stake holders in India to share their Responsible Tourism practices with other participants. It has also offered and extended its support to other individuals who are interested in Responsible Tourism practices in India.

The Webinar was moderated by Sally Broom, YourSafePlanet.com and some of the participants who attended the event online included Raj Gyawali, socialtreks.com and Valere Tjolle from VISION on Sustainable Tourism – tourism-vision.com. Supratim Raj Basu from Help Tourism; Gopinath Parayil, Founder & Chief Executive from Blue Yonder Holidays; Ashish Gupta, Director Asia from Travel to Care.com; Sajo Paul, Chairman, ICRT India were among the distinguished Responsible Tourism stake holders from India who were physically present for the event. “There are plans to organise Responsible Tourism webinar at World Travel Market in London, ITB Asia etc.” informed Parayil.

source: http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/icrt-india-gets-good-response-for-responsible-tourism-webinar-6215

Tags: Responsible Tourism, Webinar
Posted in ICRT India, In the media | No Comments »

“Living Buddhism in Northeast India and its importance in Tourism” – Seminar

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

Help Tourism was one of the organisers of a conference that was held in Siliguri to highlight the links between tourism and a living Buddhism with a focus on the East Himalaya. Peace, spiritual oneness and preservation of heritage – tangible and intangible – are common aims.

Prayer Flags at Sanga Choeling Monastery in Sikkim

Buddhism to boost tourism!

Statesman News Service
SILIGURI, Nov. 23: Dr Ravindra Panth, the Vice-Chancellor of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda Deemed University) said that the hoary heritage associated with Buddhism must be preserved and the Northeast India, being the melting pot for several cultures, must play its role to disseminate the spiritual message of eternal India far and wide.
He was addressing a seminar on ‘Living Buddhism in Northeast India and its importance in tourism’ in Siliguri yesterday. Mr PK Dong, the former director (Europe), for the government of India, department of tourism, inaugurated the seminar. It was organised by Navanalanda Mahavihara and Help Tourism.
Emphasising the importance of Buddhism in today’s world Dr Panth said that with the world in turmoil the perennial philosophy enshrined in the Buddhist scriptures and culture must again inspire the world at large.
“And the Northeast India is the right place to disseminate the message of peace and spiritual oneness far and wide. My university is looking forward to the spiritually imbued region for the regeneration of the Indian mysticism, seemingly the only way out of the deepening crisis of civilisation,” he said.
Mr Dong said that an endeavour was on to create a circuit connecting the Buddhist communities in the Northeast India including the East Himalayas.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=10&id=258947&usrsess=1