PANJIM: The Centre for Responsible Tourism has demanded end of corporatisation of spaces and displacement of people through “over tourism” as the State celebrated World Tourism Day on Thursday on the theme Tourism and the Digital Transformation.
Backing Tourism Alert and Action Forum (TAAF), CRT Executive Secretary Fr Freddy Braganca stated that the Centre unites to say “No” to Tourism and Digital Dystopia. It has also lent its support to related communities and activists seeking justice in tourism, in view of ample violations.
“The digital technologies that the UNWTO advocates are in part the cause of “over tourism”. For example, the digital disruptions of online platforms are disrupting neighbourhoods, making workers precarious and shirking corporate regulations. The social media apps foster the pathological narcissism of tourists. It is so bad that Goa has identified 24 “no-selfie zones” on its coastline because selfie-taking tourists endanger themselves. Destinations are no longer seen as vibrant places with living communities but instead as photogenic locations attractive solely for their Instagram capture-ability,” he said.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) brings Known Traveller Digital Identity using block chain technology to make the world wide open for the business traveller, the global elite and holidaymaker; to which tourism authorities are uncritical of this.
Fr Braganca however opined that technology also enables the sexual abuse of women and children, and fosters sex tourism to vulnerable communities.
