Sustaining responsible tourism – The case of Kerala.

Responsible tourism is a concept that overlaps significantly with concepts of sustainable tourism, ethical tourism, pro-poor tourism and integrated tourism (Chettiparamb and Kokkranikal, 2012). Responsible tourism emphasises the role of businesses in achieving sustainability and can be seen as yet another concept within the sustainable tourism genre, which comprises many forms of tourism such as ecotourism, ethical tourism, alternative tourism, green tourism, soft tourism, etc. Responsible tourism as a motto has now been officially adopted by many important tourism destinations. Though perhaps not yet a ‘movement’, the concept is increasingly being pushed by states and city governments on normative grounds. The international appeal of the concept could also be partly explained by the centrality given to the involvement and engagement of the private sector in managing impacts of tourism. Thus, besides offering a normative appeal, ‘responsible tourism’ also offers a pragmatic appeal in managing tourism in an increasingly (post) neo-liberal world. After all, the private sector is the major provider of tourism experiences and services in most destinations worldwide and is a fast growing presence in this sector. Kerala is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India, both domestically and overseas. With the range of tourism resources and a relatively well-developed society, tourism was identified as a major industry (Kokkranikal and Morrison, 2002). Even though Kerala has seen an impressive growth in tourism during noughties, the state has not been free from some of the environmental and socio-cultural problems associated with tourism (Jacob, 1998, White, 2007). Recently, Kerala has adopted responsible tourism as its principal tourism development strategy and pioneered it in four tourist destination, viz. Kumarakom, Thekkady, Kovalam and Wayanad. The aims of this paper is to discuss the processes involved in operationalising the concept of ‘responsible tourism’ within the state of Kerala, India, and analyse factors that led to mixed results in the four tourist destinations. We highlight and emphasise the central role of what we terms as ‘hands off’ planning realised through empowerment, engagement and proactive facilitation in sustaining responsible tourism

From history to reality - engaging with visitors in the Imperial War Museum (North)

This paper is about visitor engagement in a museum, with reference to the Imperial War Museum (IWM) (North). Modern museums can be considered part of the leisure industry, and are increasingly subject to financial and marketing considerations which, rightly, put the visitor at the centre of their thinking and planning. Facilitating visitor engagement is an important factor in ensuring the smooth delivery of a museum’s core aims. It is also key to enabling accessibility, both physical and intellectual, to all as part of the museum’s widening participation agenda. The idea of what constitutes the roles and functions of museums is at an interesting point: museums have changed over the last few decades from places that were primarily about collections to places of educative and serious leisure. Findings of a case study of visitor engagement in the IWM (North) indicate that proactive visitor engagement strategies and programmes will improve the visitor experience

Microsporidian (Glugea sp.) infection in the greasy grouper Epinephelus tauvina (Forsskal, 1775)

A case of microsporidian (Glugea sp.) infection in the greasy grouper, Epinephelus tauvina (Forsskal) was studied by light microscopy as well as histological examination. The parasite was located in the subcutaneous tissue and visceral organs, forming spherical blackish xenomas of about 1-2.5 mm in diameter surrounded by a layer of connective tissue. The observed characteristics of the parasite are in line with those of the other Glugea species; showing merogony in the outer zone of the cytoplasm of the host cell, sporogony in sporophorous vesicles, and mature ovoid spores 4-6.5 μm x 2-2.2 μm located in the central part of the blackish xenoma. These characteristics suggested that the microsporidian which was found to infect E. tauvina during the present investigation was Glugea sp

Histopathology of Y-organ in Indian white shrimp Fenneropenaeus indicus, experimentally infected with white spot syndrome virus

Histopathology of Y-organ (moulting gland) in Indian white shrimp Fenneropenaeus indicus was studied after challenging the shrimp with virulent white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). Histopathological investigation on the Y-organ collected from moribund shrimps revealed the presence of intranuclear basophilic inclusions, characteristic of WSSV. More than 70% of the Y-organ cells were infected, suggesting the degenerated state of the organ. The cellular integrity of the Y-organ was completely destroyed by the WSSV. Further, Y-organ tissue samples collected from all the 16 experimental shrimp were positive by one-step polymerase chain reaction (PCR), confirming severe WSSV infection. The infected Y-organ in F. indicus with majority of the organ cells observed in the lysed condition suggests a physiological dysfunction of the organ. In uninfected and healthy controls, the lobulated Y-organ showed closely packed normal cells with prominent nuclei and sparse cytoplasm. Physiological implication of a degenerated Y-organ in the moulting and reproduction of the penaeid shrimp is discussed

Seasonal prevalence of hydatidosis in buffaloes –A retrospective study

Aim: To identify the prevalence of Hydatidosis in buffaloe-calves, heifers and adults slaughtered in slaughter house of Mirha Exports Pvt. Ltd. between March 2010 to Feb. 2011.Materials and Methods: 2,09,615 buffaloes slaughtered were included in this study and were categorized into three groups (A, B and C) based on their age at the time of ante-mortem examination. Group Aconsisted of calves (>1 year), accounting for 5100 out of the total number of animals. Group B consisted of heifers (2-3 years) accounting for 7840. Group C consisted of adult buffaloes (3-7 years) accounting for 1, 96675. Results:Our study revealed an overall prevalence of hydatidosis as 50.96%. Furthermore, the group wise analysis showed the prevalence as 3.52%, 5.58% and 54% in calves, heifers and adult buffaloes, respectively.Conclusion: Based on the factors considered, we conclude that the higher prevalence of infections in buffaloes slaughtered in the Mirha Exports is likely due to an overpopulation of stray dogs in the areas from which the plant gets its supply of animals

Eimeria species occurrence varies between geographic regions and poultry production systems and may influence parasite genetic diversity

Coccidiosis is one of the biggest challenges faced by the global poultry industry. Recent studies have highlighted the ubiquitous distribution of all Eimeria species which can cause this disease in chickens, but intriguingly revealed a regional divide in genetic diversity and population structure for at least one species, Eimeria tenella. The drivers associated with such distinct geographic variation are unclear, but may impact on the occurrence and extent of resistance to anticoccidial drugs and future subunit vaccines. India is one of the largest poultry producers in the world and includes a transition between E. tenella populations defined by high and low genetic diversity. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with the prevalence of Eimeria species defined by high and low pathogenicity in northern and southern states of India, and seek to understand factors which vary between the regions as possible drivers for differential genetic variation. Faecal samples and data relating to farm characteristics and management were collected from 107 farms from northern India and 133 farms from southern India. Faecal samples were analysed using microscopy and PCR to identify Eimeria occurrence. Multiple correspondence analysis was applied to transform correlated putative risk factors into a smaller number of synthetic uncorrelated factors. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify poultry farm typologies, revealing three distinct clusters in the studied regions. The association between clusters and presence of Eimeria species was assessed by logistic regression. The study found that large-scale broiler farms in the north were at greatest risk of harbouring any Eimeria species and a larger proportion of such farms were positive for E. necatrix, the most pathogenic species. Comparison revealed a more even distribution for E. tenella across production systems in south India, but with a lower overall occurrence. Such a polarised region- and system-specific distribution may contribute to the different levels of genetic diversity observed previously in India and may influence parasite population structure across much of Asia and Africa. The findings of the study can be used to prioritise target farms to launch and optimise appropriate anticoccidial strategies for long-term control

Tourism policy planning in Bangladesh: background and some steps forward

Tourism policies and plans seek to resolve tourism development issues, safeguard the built and natural heritage, and achieve sustainable socioeconomic development in relation to the aspirations of current and future generations (Edgell & Swanson, 2013). However, performance of the tourism sector depend on various factors such as the policy formulation capacities of a country with the active involvements of key stakeholders. This conceptual research critically outlines dynamics of national tourism policy formulation with special reference to Bangladesh. Bangladesh has unique tourism resources and has the potential to develop tourism as an important means for its social and economic development. Sound and evidence-led tourism policies and political support along with participation of the private and voluntary sector are essential for Bangladesh become a successful and sustainable tourism destination. However, there is a felt need for further research on tourism policy, planning and management of Bangladesh tourism to develop a knowledge base and identify constraints and opportunities for its successful and sustainable development

Challenges and Opportunities in Normothermic Liver Perfusion: A Standard Research Review from an Indian Perspective

Liver transplantation is the only definitive treatment for end-stage liver disease and acute liver failure; however, the shortage of viable donor organs remains a critical challenge. Conventional static cold storage (SCS), while widely used, is associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury, leading to suboptimal graft function. Normothermic liver perfusion (NLP) has emerged as an advanced preservation technique that mimics physiological conditions, thereby reducing cellular injury, extending preservation times, and improving organ viability. Studies have demonstrated that NLP enhances graft recovery, facilitates viability assessment, and increases the utilization of marginal donor livers. Despite these advantages, the implementation of NLP in India is hindered by high costs, infrastructure limitations, and the need for specialized expertise. However, with increased investment in healthcare, research collaborations, and regulatory support, NLP could revolutionize liver transplantation in India by improving transplant outcomes and expanding the donor pool. This review explores the clinical benefits, challenges, and potential pathways for integrating NLP into India’s organ transplantation framework, highlighting the need for strategic policy interventions, cost-effective solutions, and workforce training to enable widespread adoption

Hospitality Education and Industry Linkages: A Systematic Literature Network Analysis

The purpose of the study was to identify key themes, research gaps, and influential authors, as well as to examine the evolution of research and the quality and rigor of existing literature on hospitality education and its industry linkage. For this, a systematic literature network analysis, comprising a systematic literature review using the PRISMA framework, bibliometric analysis using R programming, network analysis, and thematic analysis was performed. The findings revealed that the most important clusters of research in this area are related to curriculum development, work-integrated learning, and industry partnerships. The review explored the importance of industry-academic collaboration, challenges, curriculum development, and employability as four main themes in the area of industrial linkage in hospitality education. As indicated by researchers, the review suggests the effectiveness of different approaches to industry-academia collaboration in hospitality education, the impact of industrial linkage on the quality of hospitality education in several regions, the role of technologies in enhancing the collaboration between academia and industry in hospitality education, and the development of a sustainable curriculum that incorporates environmental, social, and economic sustainability in hospitality education as future research areas

Women’s Experiences in Religious Tourism: An Investigation into Women’s Involvement in Sabarimala Pilgrimage, Kerala

Preparations for the Sabarimala pilgrimage involves devotees observing a 41 day period of austerity (vrata) during which they practice an ascetic life. Women between the age of 10 and 50 do not visit the shrine at Sabarimala due to long-established customs. However, women do play an important role during the 41-day austerity observed by family members preparing for the pilgrimage, which could be described as a non-participant involvement in the pilgrimage. While there have been many studies on the spiritual and secular experiences of pilgrims, research on this unique form of non-participant involvement in pilgrimages is not found especially in the Indian context. This study explores the religious experience of female family members, who do not join the pilgrimage but participate by assisting family members going on the Sabarimala pilgrimage. The study aims to identify their unique experience from multiple perspectives such as personal, interpersonal, and societal through a constructivist approach. Adopting qualitative research methods, interviews were carried out among female members of Sabarimala pilgrims’ families in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to get insight into their experiences and their involvement in the pilgrimage process. The findings of the study propose Sabarimala pilgrimage as a very important social process which cements and strengthens family relationships and togetherness