Mass Tourism to Mask Tourism: Transformation, Innovation And Conservation

Mass Tourism to Mask Tourism: Transformation, Innovation And Conservation....

Chiranjib Kumar (PhD)*,Gambella University

Abstract

Mask tourism could be the future of tourism if effective measures would not be taken to control the mass tourism at various destinations.  Mask tourism recalls the need of serious biodiversity conservation and eco-friendly planning and development. Ignoring natural environment and its ecosystem would definitely pose serious challenges on the tourism business environment and in long term it will be difficult to tackle with only man made artificial resources. The present article focuses on the hidden side of mask tourism and emerging opportunity from covid19 and highlights on how to improve the available recources and tourism infrastructure in line with environmental demand and biodiversity conservation.

Key Words:  conservation, covid19, ecotourism, mass tourism, mask tourism, planning, tourism

1. Introduction

Tourism has been remained as one of the major economy booster for most of the countries in the world. The purposes of tourism were mainly connected to joy, happiness, pleasure, leisure, pilgrimage and recreations, which has been changed over the period of time due to rapid advancement in technology and urbanization. Environmentalist and other major stakeholders were worried about the growing trends in tourism and destination transformation due to mass tourism activities at major tourist destination of the world. Most of these destination suffered a lot due to encroachment and unwisely planned tourism activities. The concept of earning money in short term by hook and crook has been changing due to sudden invasion by Covid-19.

Covid19 has changed the direction and dimension of tourism. The sudden outbreak of Corona (covid19) has transformed the mass tourism into mask tourism leading up to several innovation in travel and tourism services. These innovation are making people (travelers and tourists) more responsible towards host and hosting environment. Starting from origin point to the final destination of journey, stay, site seeing and shopping, all activities have become little more sensitive then earlier time.  On the one hand the value of hygiene and sanitation has been increased, there on the other hand behaviour of tourists and guests moving in crowd and polluting destination have been decreased. 

Mass Tourism – Responsible – Mask Tourism

The transformation of mass tourism into mask  tourism has generated more affection among the consumer towards fragility of nature, ecology and environment. Mask tourism has also breeded the loyalty towards environmental conservation and minimum exploitations of natural resources. In short term such attitude might be considered as decline in the growth of tourism but would be more beneficial and stable in long term. The blind growth and development of tourism has provided opportunity of “mask tourism” to service providers, which they need to encash into responsible tourism by involving local community into their businesses and protecting natural ecosystem and environment from damage and degradation.

2. Focus  diversion

Mask tourism would divert focus on the following areas,

(I) Planning and development of tourism sites, attractions and destination as a whole

(II) Permission, Approvals and Licensing conditions and procedures

(III) Construction, renovation, layout and design of sites, buildings, houses, hotels, resorts, view-points etc.

(IV) Strict Inclusion of carrying capacity, limits of acceptable changes, recreation opportunity spectrum and tourism optimization model and other such environmentally friendly models.

(V) Responsible rules and regulations for travellers, tourists, guests and host community.

(VI) Management and administration of visitors and site.

(VII) Health of guest, host and wildlife need to be taken care of seriously.

(VIII) Biodiversity conservation, Indigenous knowledge transfer, participatory forest management and environmental calendar planning should be on priority.

(IX) Consuming food and services in eco-friendly ways and further wisely disposal of left overs and garbage in accordance with environmental norms and guidelines.

(X) Promoting organic food and Farming and imposing restrictions on “wet market” and hybrid vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items.

(XI) Maintaining proper hygiene and sanitation in the area and also generating awareness among local communities and visitors.

(XII) Development of more community based tourism monitoring systems to protect the interest of both host and natural environment of the area.

(XIII) Generating more learning experience or learning kind of environment than recreation only.

(XIV) Promoting more community tourism than cruise ship type tourism only.

(XV) Implementing more tax holiday programmes and financial support  for ecotourism and responsible tourism service providers and consumers as well, rather than mass tourism service providers.

(XVI) Shifting focus on planning, monitoring and control.

(XVII) Timely implementation of any rules and regulations

(XVIII) Framing polices on regional tourism cooperation and united growth and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).

(XIX) Promoting Responsible Tourism Advocacy(RTA) through tour guides, escorts and hosts. Tourist and guests could be motivated to do the same.

(XX) Making green certification mandatory for all constituents(primary, secondary, intermediary) of tourism industry. And auditing of such providers should be done on regular intervals to avoid any unwanted hazards.

(XXI) Nature and culture conservation should go together in line with sustainable developmental Goals (SDG).

(XXII) Organising meeting, seminars, conference, exhibitions for sharing thought, ideas, concept and service innovations.

Note: more dimension of people, culture and environmental safety, services and conservation could be added.

3. Mask Tourism

Mask tourism is a kind of symbolic tourism that recalls nature conservation and appeals for protecting originality, authenticity and humanity through universal integrated awareness approach. It symbolises the connectivity in diversity like a world wide web(www) where one negative energy could destroy the world and positive energy could save it. So better to be eco-friendly than living like deadly.

4. Innovation with mask

Innovation acted as booster for the growth and development of tourism sector but at the same time contributed a lot in the degradation of environment and has also become one of the major reason for ecological imbalances. Innovations is good, but deviation from authenticity and originality is bad. Moving fast and providing prompt services are good, but moving fast by crushing the biologically and ecologically vital living beings, would really not be acceptable and also intolerable. Any innovation should be able to provide sustainable future and immunity to protect from sudden outbreak like Corona(covid19) or from other natural calamities.  Covid19 has changed the pattern of thinking in regard to service innovation. Many new innovative systems and hi-tech devices have been introduced at various touch point that is starting from Arrival till departure for a visitor/guest/traveler/tourist.  Various measures have been taken by the destination management organisation and local government to tackle with any unwanted health hazards and congestions in flow of tourists.  The Corona(covid19) pandemic has also opened the door of mass production of masks for mask tourism. Mask tourism has brought a new opportunity to innovate, sell, sanitize and also save the interest of local communities. 

4.1 Innovative masks could be designed and offered through various outlet available at wildlife sanctuary, museums, amusement parks, and other important tourist sites. Such outlet should run by local community and non-governmental organizations must help them.

4.2 Health cum hygiene awareness centre could be developed to provide traveling and staying tips to visitors, guests, tourists and host. Food safety and prohibition need to be presented to the participants.

4.3 Shopping etiquette and buying tips for tourists would of great help.

4.4 Availability of Kiosks and mobile apps for retrieving and uploading data regarding health hazards and unruly behavior tourists and most vulnerable sites.

4.5 Selfie points can be established for clicking photo with these colourful handcrafted masks.

4.6 More contactless touch points have been emerged during the Corona(covid19) pandemic and more need to be added but without compromising with the essence and value of human touch particularly in the area of tour guiding, reception and catering. Human touch is one of the important factor in tourism and hospitality services. Therefore automation should not replace the human in the key areas of customer interactions. 

4.7. Innovation should be done by considering the effect and impact on the following dimensions directly or indirectly.

 Natural

 Environmental

 Biological

 Ecological

 Sustainable/Responsible

5. Money And Conservation

There is no doubt in this that money required even for conservation and protection of natural resources but it doesn’t mean that only money is sufficient for all such activities. In the pursuit of earning money one should never forget learning from nature and environment. 

Mask tourism has not only been trying to pass on message of conservation of nature, ecology and environment protection, but also trying to put question mark regarding the existing man made attractions and geomorphological structures by hiding it in mask. 

6. Conclusion

Imagine a monument or site or wildlife or waterfall covered in mask. Mask tourism has provided an ample opportunity to explore the eco-friendly and responsible dimension of tourism that need to be examined seriously and further action plan must be implemented. Connectivity need to felt immediately to generate universal integrated awareness among people, otherwise it would be too late to recognize and admit mistakes. Environment protection and nature conservation should be on high priority while planning and designing the tourism activities.

7. Limitations

Any generalized idea is not right due to variations in goal, changing perceptions and region and literatures followed.

8. Direction for further studies

The further research must direct itself for conducting such investigations. This will make the study more meaningful to find linkage more effectively.

9. Acknowledgement

The researcher would like to extend their gratitude to Gambella University for the sufficient time provided for doing research.

Reference

•  Tourism Crisis and Revival, 2020, by Dr. Chiranjib Kumar, Kindle Book Publishing, USA, www.amazon.com

•www.tourismjournals.asia

Stay safe and healthy.... Don't forget to wear mask when outside..