In recent years, the State of Madhya Pradesh, in central India, has embarked on an inspiring journey towards local sustainable development putting its local communities at the centre of the equation.
Stronger together
To make the Responsible Tourism Mission possible over a such vast territory, the Madhya Pradesh Tourist Board (MPTB) relies on public-private partnerships that enhance government efforts in an efficient way. It starts by recognising local organisations, companies and NGOs like Pashoo Pakshee or Haritika who are already active and rooted in the place, which makes them the ideal strategic partners to implement the actions with a more widespread reach.
The partnership and collaboration, recognised and supported by the last of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), come alive in the creation of multi-stakeholder networks across the State. The collaboration with the private sector is nourished not only within the tourism industry but also in other technical sectors such as environmental protection, organic farming and alternative energy solutions, bringing together different skills and competencies, enriching the overall results while strengthening the individual business partners.
The MPTB collaboration strategy also includes other government departments and agencies from the areas of Culture, Education and Agriculture, among others.
The six-head structure
To avoid the risk of overwhelming an unfamiliar audience, I will avoid describing the whole system of which we are just scratching the surface, and I will focus on the general framework of the six-project structure implemented by the RT Mission.
The ‘ecosystem’, as it is referred to in the RT Mission, is articulated in a series of interlinked and complementary projects:.
- Rural and Tribal Tourism
- Safe Tourism Destinations for Women
- Responsible Souvenir Project
- Homestay development
- Clean & Green Destination Project
- Project Humsafar
It won’t be possible on this occasion to explain all the projects in detail, each one of which is a little world in itself.
However, I can make a remark that can clarify the nature of their impact.
Women empowerment is a pillar that runs across the board of the whole mission, and it is present in all the projects of the ecosystem. In practical terms, it has been established that women’s participation must represent at least 60% of the total of each project. Women are also the ideal people to be involved in the ‘Responsible Souvenir Project’, which provides training as well as support in the production, promotion and marketing of the 56 types of products created within it.
In the case of the ‘Homestay development’, the women are usually the legal owners of the newly built accommodation for future guests.
The ‘Safe Tourism Destinations for Women’, made up of different initiatives and activities, addresses girls and young women specifically and provides the foundation for a cultural change in favour of women’s empowerment and gender equality first and foremost in the community where they live, which, as a consequence, increases the safety of the female visitors.
Given this brief overview, it should be no surprise that Madhya Pradesh, besides being the winner of several awards and national and international recognitions, was also shortlisted for the Destination category of the Gender Equality Champion Awards for two years in a row, in 2023 and again in 2024.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that MP, while setting an example, has also set ambitious goals for the future of its tourism sector.
Moreover, it is proving that rural tourism can be an effective catalyst for the sustainable development of a destination.
However, for a project of such scope and complexity to deliver, clarity on the priorities and lucid differences between tools and goals is needed beforehand, and in MP’s case, the foundations appear strong and transparent. Perhaps the most important lesson that it is sharing with the rest of the world is that no project is too complex when its goals are noble and urgent. No task is more important and urgent than achieving the well-being and empowerment of their rural and Indigenous communities.
