Deep Kalra on MakeMyTrip’s initiative to protect and preserve tourist destinations, and why it makes business sense

The travel company wants to make all coastal tourist destinations in India free of single-use plastic.

By ET Bureau | Updated: Mar 13, 2020, 11.40 AM IST

Kalra says that promoting responsible travel cannot be the responsibility of just one stakeholder in the travel value chain.

A travel company that takes millions of Indians to different places every year is taking up a bold initiative to bring the spotlight on ‘responsible travel’.

Through its various initiatives, MakeMyTrip has taken the lead in promoting responsible travel amongst members of the hospitality value chain as well as travellers.

Excerpts of an interview with Deep Kalra, founder and executive chairman, MakeMyTrip.

Tell us about the project unveiled by you in Andamans. What made you choose this destination?
It’s no secret that India’s most frequented tourist destinations struggle with crumbling infrastructure and pressure on resources with massive seasonal tourist inflow. We are well aware what happens to tourism hotspots like Goa, Shimla, Ooty during peak tourist season and the impact it has on these destinations in the long term.

Andamans is a fast-growing tourist destination and we want to make an intervention at the right time to ensure that we can help tourism grow in the most sustainable way. From setting up of public amenities at the beach, water ATMs, distribution of reusable bottles, waste management with manpower allocation, plastic scavenging drives and capacity building initiatives, we have rolled out an integrated responsible tourism plan for Shaheed Dweep, previously known as Neil Island.

Beach cleaning drive at Neil Island with school students, local community members and MakeMyTrip staff.

Our project will not only provide necessary infrastructure and resources, but also help tourists visiting these pristine islands make responsible choices.

What’s the business case for travel companies to think of tourism growth in a sustainable way?
To my mind, it’s all about moving forward the right way. Travel, as an industry, makes an immense direct and indirect contribution to the economy but that should not be all. Travel needs to be a force for good for people and places — making a net positive contribution at all levels. Responsible travel means you give back to the destination as much as you take from it, if not more.

It’s in our interest to protect travel destinations and ensure that they are in good shape for our future generations too. As a business of sizeable scale, we have an obligation and a role to play to balance tourism growth with the needs of the environment in which it operates.

MakeMyTrip team hands out Tritan plastic bottles to school students. These alternatives to single-use plastic bottles will be given to tourists as they set foot on this island.

What do you think it takes to move the needle to make responsible tourism a reality?
Promoting responsible travel cannot be the responsibility of just one stakeholder in the travel value chain. Even if the traveller wants to make conscious choices — we should be able to readily provide the options to make responsible travel a reality. Small steps go a long way — be it refusing to use plastic straws, buying coconut water from locals instead of packaged drinks or opting for greener choices while booking hotels or flights.

Through MakeMyTrip foundation we are partnering with experts like World Wide Fund (WWF), grassroots non-profit like Sewa Mandir, Sonam Wangchuk’s HIAL to many others so that we can collectively make a bigger impact. We want to encourage our peers, partners and customers to come forward and shoulder the responsibility to make it happen.

How do you plan to continue building on the success of these initiatives to ensure you can make a meaningful difference?
Our commitment to help make Neil Island single-use plastic free is an ambitious one but we are confident that with the support of the administration, our hotel partners and local communities, we can make it happen. Over time, we want to replicate this model at other beach destinations to realise our mission to make all coastal tourist destinations in India free of single-use plastic. This project in the Andamans is by no means our first one to promote responsible travel.

Members collecting plastic waste as a part of the beach cleaning drive.

A few years into starting our business, we offered a choice to our users to make a micro-payment of Rs 5 to offset their carbon footprint. With that tiny contribution from our users, along with employee and the organisation’s contribution, we have managed to plant over a million trees in Rajasthan.

We are working with World Wide Fund and have set up eco-cafes in Ladakh, another destination that has seen massive tourism boom.

We are also working with Sonam Wangchuk’s HIAL on one of their ambitious project to increase the tree cover and restore the ecology of the cold desert. There are partners like Waste Warrior in places like Manali and Mussoorie who we work with to ensure the cleanliness of treks and tourist sites.

MakeMyTrip has set up a convenience facility at Neil Island, including showers, toilets, locker rooms, a tuck shop and a water ATM booth.

Any message for young companies that are looking to contribute towards a cause?
The world we live in needs our attention and care. Every act of social good is important to make the change. So, first committing yourself to a cause is critical. Even if it means you start small, starting somewhere is important. I am reasonably certain that there is a business case for all companies to think about making an impact beyond the immediate imperatives for long-term value creation.

From Jodhpur To San Juan, Here Are Top 10 Travel Destinations You Ought To Visit In 2020

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All the travel junkies out there, if there is one listicle you must focus on, it’s this one. With 2019 travel goals (hopefully) met, it’s time to start planning for the 2020 holidays. Booking.com has delved into global booking trends to reveal 10 of the top emerging travel destinations for 2020.

Jodhpur from India has found its spot among the top 10 list, alongside some lesser known spots in Eastern Europe to under-the-radar spots in Asia. Commenting on the study, Ritu Mehrotra, Country Manager, India, Sri Lanka and Maldives for Booking.com said, “As we proceed towards a new decade, we will see travel becoming more and more sustainable and technologically-advanced, further aided by enhanced services and offerings that enable the modern day inquisitive traveller to experience the world.

81% of Indian travellers say that in 2020 they want to go somewhere that offers experiences they’ve never had before. From catering to their peaked interest in lesser known destinations to counter over-tourism, to customised travel recommendations, we want to ensure that the travellers have the most diverse selection of places to stay at as we help them prepare and plan their travel in 2020 and beyond.”

Here’s where you should be headed to satiate the wanderbug in you.