YUVA Tourism Clubs
Handbook
2023-24
MIZORAM UNIVERSITY TANHRIL, AIZAWL, MIZORAM-796004
Vision & Objectives of Yuva Tourism Club
India’s youth account for one fifth of the world’s youth demographic. With an average age of 29, India has one of the youngest population globally. The country’s youth is being encouraged to build a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusivity.
To take advantage of this demographic dividend, it is essential to educate and orient young minds towards learning and exploration. Tourism offers a great opportunity to explore India’s rich cultural heritage.
In a world becoming more digital and virtual, tourism offers the possibility for learners to increase their awareness and develop a broader perspective. Tourism as well helps young to discover their heritage which enables a deeper understanding of themselves and their cultural roots. Tourism Clubs are a step in that direction.
Vision
The vision is to nurture and develop young ambassadors of Indian tourism, who through thought, word, and deed would promote the cultural heritage of India. The focus would be to foster ideals which are in harmony with sustainable development.
Objectives
Tourism clubs are an important step in promoting responsible and sustainable tourism in the country as it aims to educate citizens of tomorrow at the grassroots level. Tourism helps in developing concerns for economic, social, and environmental issues which are crucial to reduce its negative impact. The major objectives of the proposed mission are to:
Enable learners to appreciate the importance of travel and tourism;
Ignite a passion for tourism and its value in learners;
Educate learners regarding the rich natural & cultural travel heritage present in our villages, towns, cities, and states;
Sensitize learners to various elements of travel;
Encourage, teach and propagate responsible tourism practices;
Improve physical & mental health through exploratory, adventure and sports tourism; and
Spread awareness about tourism opportunities at an early stage and encourage learners to be skilled professionals and entrepreneurs in the hospitality and tourism sector.
Tourism Clubs
Focus on Heritage Education through various co-curricular activities in higher education in India plays a major role in the all-round development of a learners’ personality.
Clubs - in different forms are constituted across various Departments of educational institute in India to conduct various activities. Learners work and involve themselves in areas of their interest and skill. Clubs, thus, enable learners to acquire important skills like teamwork, management, leadership, and service. Tourism Clubs are very similar in this regard.
The activities taken up by higher educational Institute under Heritage Education are associated with local history, art, etc. Tourism in many ways is another medium for the communication of ideals of Heritage Education. Tourism Clubs, thus, integrate smoothly with the Heritage Education efforts of university.
Why the focus on Tourism and the need for Tourism clubs
Most of the Heritage Education forms viz. natural heritage, performing arts, art and culture etc. find expression through tourism. For example - Taj Mahotsav – an annual festival in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It happens to be a confluence of art forms, handicrafts, dance and music shows, cuisines, and other experiences for which tourists and guests specifically visit it. The Taj Mahal – being a built heritage monument acts as a catalyst in increasing the tourist flow to this vibrant festival too.
That way, we see tourism acting as a medium through which arts, craft, monuments, heritage, and culture find expression and appreciation.
The aim of the Tourism clubs is to use this advantage of tourism to educate and inform learners in fun and engaging ways. It thus helps learners to grow and become sensitive to diverse cultures.
Rationale for Institutionalizing Tourism Clubs
The need to boost tourism in and around the local areas;
To create citizens who become aware of possibilities of tourist spaces locally and globally and turn champions of tourism in the future;
To create space for contextualized learning;
To make teaching of subjects like social studies, history, geography, and language studies interesting through integration with real life places and events;
To instill in students, a passion for exploring the physical environment in historicity, grandeur, and beauty; and
Various activities in all departments of Mizoram University play a major role in the all-round development of a learner’s personality. Learner’s participation in Tourism Clubs is expected to foster metacognitive skills as also help learners recognize places of interest and adventure in their vicinity for tourism.
Unique features of the Tourism Clubs
These clubs will attract and be open to a larger number of students as the activities and events of the club will involve what students of a particular/all age groups like and love to do - traveling.
The activities of this club will integrate with activities of other clubs as tourism, culture, and heritage are also part of subjects taught in Mizoram University. The multiple stakeholders can get together for various purposes.
The Events club of the Mizoram University and the Tourism Club come together to arrange a tour event outside the University or an awareness event within the University.
The Photography and Media club can accompany the Tourism Club to capture nostalgic moments and stories.
The Environment and Nature club can see application of ideas and concepts learnt in various lessons when on a trip arranged by the Tourism Club. The effort can be to promote sustainable tourism.
The Tourism Club of a department can interact with Tourism Club of the other departments of Mizoram University in the vicinity and others in the same District on special occasions and events. This would allow members of the Tourism Club to become aware of new opportunities and programs outside and beyond Mizoram University.
Starting a Club
Aligned to the vision, all Departments of Mizoram University can now make effort to motivate their students to join Yuva Tourism Club in the Department of tourism and Hospitality Management, Mizoram university. Club Activities
The following are the activities suggested for the club according to class group and roles of members:
Note: (Since the activities of the club will be a healthy mix of in-university and outside University with both being complementary)
Members
To participate in weekly or fortnightly competitions like essay writing, logo designing, quiz, drawing and painting, poster making, acting and debating, etc. held under topics and prompts involving Indian tourism.
To travel to locations during off-peak periods as part of a Department group, in turn boosting the local economy. In specific locations, it is recommended for members to
get involved with local community and offer their skills and ideas to better the tourist experiences through structured interactions with the location’s tourism staff and administration.
To take up or adopt tourism hotspots near and around Department areas and offer their services through volunteering and idea generation in order to boost tourism potential of the same.
Organization of Activities (2nd Year)
To take responsibility for conducting and preparing all activities associated with the Tourism Club in and outside of Department. Activities include purposes like awareness, engagement, action, discussion, community interaction, and fundraising among many others.
To initiate discussions with teachers and learners for the inclusion of travel and tourism into curricular activities wherever relevant.
To liaison with relevant stakeholders inside and outside of Department to organize sustainable and responsible tours in line with UN SDG agendas.
To create opportunities for learners/members to interact, appreciate, and understand local culture and ways of life during travel tours. The conducting class will seek the Student Body’s permission and approval on the different activities the learner members will engage in, at a particular tourism location.
To create interesting travel itineraries with lesser-known destinations and deeper history, tapping into the curiosity and the spirit of adventure in student members.
To have specific working groups of people administered by the MZU student body in the conducting class to take care of:
Media & Public Relations - where learners will pass on information of activities involving immediate community to local media.
Social Media Management – where students will monitor social media reviews, ratings, and mentions of tourist locations in the immediate vicinity, provide feedback based on reviews and keep administration informed of steps to improve experience.
Student Body & Office Bearers (Final Year)
To create and maintain a Tourism Club Event and Program Calendar while keeping in mind Mizoram University holidays, festivals, and others.
To interact with other clubs and teacher in-charges of the Department in cases where their help may be required.
To meet on a regular basis to discuss if activities are aligned to vision and course and do necessary corrections, if required. (Explained further in the Roles & Responsibilities section under Organization Structure)
Proposed Functionaries
B. Roles & Responsibilities
Teacher Coordinator
The Teacher Coordinator is appointed by the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management to spearhead activities for the Tourism Club in the Department. He/she has to appoint the Final Year Degree Student Body and assign specific roles within the body through a regular process followed every year.
He/she must attend all the Final Year Degree student Body meetings and guide the discussion along with the Student Head of the body.
Final Year Student Body
The governing body of the Tourism Club is its Final Year student Body. The body may consist of the Student Head, Treasurer, and Executive Members. The number of Executive Members can be increased or decreased based on the number of student members in the club.
The body is required to meet at least once a month and report on action taken at the next
Tourism Club meeting. During its meetings, the body reviews and approves the club’s plans and projects. The Department Teacher Coordinator advises and must attend all board meetings. Club members may also attend these meetings as observers.
The members should think of project ideas, encourage club members to participate, and delegate responsibilities. The student body needs to prepare an annual report that describes major actions with activities conducted over the past year. They should keep the original on file and send a copy to the District Coordinator.
Student Head
The Student Head’s primary role is to lead the club, making sure that it functions effectively.
Responsibilities include
Understand the vision and objectives of the Tourism Clubs.
Meet with the outgoing Student Head and student body to review the club’s records and discuss its current activities.
Conduct effective meetings by preparing a detailed agenda that outlines what will be covered and for how long by allowing enough time for reports from other officers and grievances from members.
Plan creative programs for club meetings well in advance, arrange for speakers, panel discussions, trips, and entertainment that appeal to a wide range of interests.
Delegate responsibility to help other members develop their leadership skills and to avoid getting overwhelmed with details.
Identify members’ skills and interests and harness them in club projects.
Work to ensure that the club’s activities and service projects are successfully promoted and carried out.
Pay attention to membership growth, and development and maintain a balance among age and gender groups.
Communicate and collaborate actively with the Department Teacher Coordinator.
Treasurer
The treasurer of the body maintains accurate financial records. This officer should be a responsible person. Responsibilities include
Deposit all proceeds from fund raising projects.
Handle the work of preparing and administering the budget.
Prepare a monthly report that accurately details:
Money on hand at the beginning and end of the month
Income, with its source clearly indicated
Payments, indicating for what and to whom
The treasurer has to prepare an end-of-year report summing up the activities and the budget spent on each of the activities, while sending a copy of the same to the Department Management. The outgoing treasurer should give the end-of-year report to club members and the incoming treasurer. All treasurers’ reports form part of the club’s permanent record.
Executive Members
Executive Members help the club carry out activities and projects. The faculty Coordinator appoints the Executive Members to be the single point of interaction between the student body, the conducting class and it working groups. Additional Executive Members may be appointed as needed.
Executive Members should meet at least once a month to discuss plans and activities and share them with the Student Head. All Executive Member activities and expenses are subject to the student body’s approval.
They also have the primary responsibility to help the club function effectively.
Responsibilities include
1. Maintain all club records, such as:
Membership
Attendance record meeting
All-important club papers, budget documents, and reports
2. Take minutes — a clear, concise written record of what was said at a meeting and any actions taken — at all meetings of the club. Minutes shouldn’t detail every word that was said or how the decisions were reached but should cover these points:
Type of meeting (Student body or club meeting)
Date, time, and place
Presiding officer
Attendance record meeting
Approval and correction of last meeting’s minutes
Treasurer’s statement
Summary of reports from officers
Summary of reports from working groups in conducting class or classes
Announcements
3. Administrative and liaising functions
Be the single point of contact for any queries and needs of the conducting class.
Assign every activity to a club member, and keep track of these assignments.
Make sure all club members are familiar with the club’s activities, events, and goals.
Establish a schedule of club meetings for the year.
Notify club members in writing of a meeting, giving the date, time, place, and subject of the meeting. (For example, through e-mail, or text messaging.)
Prepare agendas for meetings, and follow them.
Contact members scheduled to make reports at meetings, and ask if they need any help in preparing their reports.
Ask members for their opinions.
Keep accurate records, but avoid unnecessary paperwork.
From year two and beyond, interested members from class XI will be able to volunteer their names for student body position they wish to officiate in, when in class XII.
Upon the last date for class X students to volunteer names, the selection of candidates for student body positions will ensure with the existing class XII student body and Department Teacher Coordinator picking candidates for specific roles.
The selected candidates will assume office as Student Head, Treasurer, and Executive Members on the first day of the new academic year.
Operating a Club
1. Compulsory Meetings
a. The Final Year Student Body has to meet at least once a month.
b. The Executive Members have to meet separately at least once a month with members from the conducting class or specific working groups in the conducting class.
2. Reporting
a. The student body may prepare an annual report that describes the major actions taken with activities conducted over the year.
b. The treasurer needs to prepare an end-of-year report summing up the activities and the budget spent on each of the activities, while sending a copy of the same to the Department Management.
Suggested Activities of the Club
This section of the handbook suggests ideas for possible activities the club can take up. It is important to mention that this list is not exhaustive in nature. In order to factor in the different contexts and workings of Departments across the country, we have kept the list open-ended and possible for customization to a particular Department’s context and working.
Also, we welcome suggestions from individual Departments and other stakeholders on what Tourism Clubs can take up beyond the following list of ideas and topics.
Proposed list of activities
Arranging talks/lectures by eminent scholars and experts.
Presentations, Notice Boards, and Exhibitions on educational material provided by the Ministry of Tourism.
Conducting debates and dialogue on topics related to Indian tourism, culture, and heritage.
Conducting quiz programs on Indian tourism and heritage.
Projects for conservation work, adoption of historical monuments and other tourist locations near the Department.
PenPal scheme (inter-state sharing of views) on tourism and what each of their state offers for tourism.
Walk tours in local city / town exploring local craft, cuisine, tourist places, and experiences.
Nature walks / excursions to local parks, areas of biodiversity, and also agrarian sites.
Involving students in giving their ideas for tourism and providing feedback on existing tourist experiences in the town / city.
Tourism Ideathons can be set up by the club in the Department – where students are challenged creatively to come up with ideas for new tourist experiences with reference to their locality and audience context, and sometimes even going beyond it.
Setting up of Tourism Stall in Department where students can market and promote tourist experiences in the city / town to fellow students.
Allocating a particular day of every week as a Tourism Trip Day with each week being mapped with a particular tourism theme like adventure, spiritual, nature, wildlife, heritage, etc. Students who are interested hop on to the university transport system on that particular day and time to go a particular location every week in line with the theme. This creates opportunities for regular tourism and also adds fun, learning, and friendly element on that particular day.
Proposed List of Activities for Trips / Projects Outside Department
Undertaking projects to study local monuments and places of history.
Adopting a specific tourist location/experience and taking charge of their digital promotion, marketing efforts, and other areas where such tourist experiences lack in.
Undertaking and spearheading new tie ups and partnerships. For example, a tie up with Sahapedia to go on an educational tourism trip through learning and doing.
Projects like World Heritage Volunteers mandated by the collage can also be taken up by the club.
Inter-state cultural exchanges of students where students present unique tourist offerings and stories of their State / UT in another State / UT.
Proposed list of Topics the Club can cover and address
A career in Tourism and Hospitality
The importance of Tourism
Tourism as an up lifter from Poverty
Environmental impacts of tourism
Regenerative and Sustainable Tourism
Role of Media & Journalism in Tourism
The psychology behind why we travel
Tourism and social entrepreneurship
Evolution of Tourism
Tourism of the Future: The integration of technology
VR, AR, MR: Tourism in the Metaverse
Specific spotlight on particular locations, case studies, or inspirational stories.
Proposed List of Events and Gatherings
Arranging audio-visual programs for government Department students, students in other Departments and the community.
Casual meetings in tourist locations by coordinating with clubs of the other Departments in the vicinity.
Arranging trips to local tourist experiences which are fun and safe.
Guided trips to state and national events and festivals around tourism.
Guidelines
1. Creating a safe environment for students
Develop and enforce a district youth protection policy, including guidelines for reporting allegations of discrimination, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, harassment, mistreatment to district leaders and/or local law enforcement.
Include emergency service and local medical information, as well as a 24-hour emergency district “hotline” number.
Ensure adult supervision for meetings, field trips, activities, and projects.
2. Permission & Support of parents
The Teacher Coordinator has the responsibility for the supervision and control of all programs and activities organized within the Department that involve minors traveling outside their local community or overnight stays. The information must be communicated to parents and their permission sought.
When students are traveling out of the state of home residence or out of the home country, it is a must to take the written permission/approval of parents and legal guardians of each student.
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