Tourism programs of the state will be carried out in line with the responsible tourism policy, reiterated Tourism Minister Kadakampalli Surendran. Our responsible tourism policy is not just to promulgate in meetings or to display on carnivals, he added. He was inaugurating the training program for the tourism resource persons selected by the Responsible Tourism Mission at Thiruvananthapuram on 19th June 2018.
The formalities to re-brand Kerala tourism are at final stage. All the tourism development programs of the state will be carried out by safeguarding the interests of the people. The initiatives by the Responsible Tourism Mission in this regard to be appreciated. The program started in a trial basis in 2008 at Kumarakam, Kovalam, Thekkadi and Vaithiri has become the backbone of Kerala tourism sector now.
This has helped to increase the job opportunities of the local people. The Responsible Tourism Program of the state has already bagged several national/international awards.
Our Responsible Tourism Policy has proved that by converting our heritage industries to tourism packages, we can conserve the unorganized sectors like toddy tapping, fishing, hand-looms, coconut leave weaving, mat weaving etc.
The government aims at generating one lakh job opportunities in the tourism sector though the Responsible Tourism Mission. Conservation of environment will also be under the command of the Mission.
Environment conservation of all the tourism programs started in the Vembanad and Ashtamudi lakes and those to be started in other water bodies will be under the responsibility of the Mission. Waste management tasks in relation with any of the tourism projects of the state will also be under the supervision of the mission.
In the inauguration function presided by Tourism Secretary Rani George, Tourism Director Balakiran delivered the welcome speech. State Coordinator of the Responsible Tourism Mission, K Rupesh Kumar presented the report. Director Vinod Nambiar R T, Resource Peron Pinto Paul C, Tourism Advisory Board Members Ravi Sankar, Biju George, Dhanya Sabu, V S Kamalasanan, N D Sundareshan, Biji Saviour etc led the classes. The two day program will wind up on Wednesday, 20th June.
M P Sivadathan from Kerala Home-stay and Tourism Society (HATS), Radhakrishnan from ‘The Hindu’, Dr. B Rajendran, Principal, Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS) etc. will lead the classes on Wednesday.
