Just a few seconds of fear as you negotiate the initial lift-off, and lo, you are in the air, paragliding. Navigating the vast sky provides an adrenaline rush, which is quickly replaced by a sense of serenity. You feel like a free bird. Amid the myriad emotions you feel, ranging from fear to thrill to joy, one often forgets everything else. Those 15 minutes in the sky were among my most memorable moments, I must confess. However, the unfortunate deaths of four thrill-seeking tourists in Himachal Pradesh and Goa last week, in three separate incidents, have forced this writer to think of the dangers associated with adventure tourism in India.
Local authorities in Himachal Pradesh have suspended paragliding activities at the site of the incident and a magisterial inquiry has been initiated. In Goa, the tourism department clarified that it had not granted permission for paragliding at the location. The Goa Police stated that the victim had chosen to paraglide with an adventure sports company operating without legal authorisation, and a case has been registered against the company owner. That's a typical, predictable, reactive, bureaucratic response. In a few weeks, things will return to normal. The grief of the loss will be for the grieving families to bear alone. Nothing will change.
Unsafe And Uncared For
These avoidable incidents highlight the still-unregulated adventure tourism sector in India, where neither authorities enforce safety norms nor are tour operators or tourists sufficiently aware of the safety practices to be followed. At a time when the government is trying to promote domestic tourism, these accidents underline the urgent need to raise awareness and enforce best-in-class safety standards across the country.
Adventure tourism in India has seen significant growth over the past decade due to rising demand for thrilling experiences. The government has also turned its attention to making India a global destination for adventure tourism; the sector is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 20% over the next five years. To keep up with this market, the Ministry of Tourism formulated a National Strategy for Adventure Tourism in 2022. According to the document, India has set ambitious goals, targeting a $3 trillion tourism economy by 2047, with adventure tourism contributing $800 billion. This entails welcoming 20 million foreign tourists and 80 million domestic adventure travellers, and generating $90 billion in foreign exchange. It envisions India becoming one of the top 10 adventure tourism destinations in the world.
Himachal Pradesh's Bir-Billing is known globally as a “paraglider's paradise”. The second edition of the Paragliding World Cup Association Asian Tour 2024 was held here from November 2 to 9 last year. Ninety-four paragliders from 26 countries, including 32 from India, participated in the event. The place also holds the distinction of being one of Asia's highest paragliding sites. However, just a month before that, two foreign nationals had reportedly died in paragliding-related incidents in Kangra district. At least seven paragliders, including foreigners, have been killed in the last 18 months in Himachal Pradesh alone.
Fatal accidents often lead to knee-jerk responses, like prohibiting adventure activities or closing off certain areas for adventure tourism. But these are just temporary measures. They result in guides suddenly losing their jobs, adventure provider companies going out of business, and the entire sector struggling to grow due to this lack of predictability.
Making It Sustainable
In May 2018, the Centre issued the Indian Adventure Tourism Guidelines to standardise safety and quality norms for adventure tourism in India. The recommendations merely codified SOPs and directions for risk mitigation and emergencies. Since these were only guidelines, not much has been done in terms of implementation. In the absence of a national policy, many states have introduced their own policies regarding adventure tourism and aero-sports. However, on the ground, such sports remain a risky affair.
Private adventure sports agencies have multiplied exponentially to tap into this profitable opportunity. But when it comes to safety, not many companies have top-of-the-line equipment or trained staff. This needs to change.
Adventure businesses must be certified by the government, with a documented safety management system in place. State-of-the-art infrastructure, equipment, and skilled, trained personnel are important to provide a safe experience for tourists. Permits and licences must be issued by specific technical experts after due diligence, for a fee. Government-run schools should be established to train young pilots in paragliding and other adventure sports. Tour companies should be subjected to annual safety audits and must have appropriate liability insurance.
India needs a high-quality adventure tourism sector with strong safety regulations as this will not only save lives but also bring economic benefits to the country. Educating citizens is necessary to foster a culture of safety. A world-class, environmentally sustainable adventure tourism sector will attract more tourists and boost both revenue and employment.
(The author is Contributing Editor, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
