As part of diversifying the tourism products and to encourage sustainable tourism models, the Responsible Tourism Mission of Kerala is planning a number of innovative concepts in the tourism sector of the state. The objective of the programme is to recompense the loss in the tourism sector due to drop in the number of tourists in the previous year, due to various reasons.
As per RT Mission, several community-level tourism activities such as storytelling and cultural sessions will be launched in the month of March. Resource mapping, a process to identify new tourism destinations in the state is being undertaken. Special tourism grama sabhas (village committees) have been formed for the purpose. Varkala, Poovar, Ashtamudi, Fort Kochi, Dharmadam, Ashtamudi, Muhamma and Alappuzha have been identified as destinations where the responsible tourism projects will implement.
With the help of resource mapping the RT Mission envisages to document the major attractions and products of a prospective destination with the support of the RT Resource Persons. A local tourism resource directory will be formulated with the help of the mapping. The total cost of the resource mapping project is estimated at 15 lakhs.
“We have already started the programme where we are trying to map the entire flora and fauna of the region with the support of the local people; but, it is taking time as there is scarcity of people to collect the data for resource mapping,” said Bindhu Mani, DTPC secretary.
The tourism department also plans to provide job-oriented skill training that will help in catering to the needs of the tourism sector. Fifty persons will be appointed to lead the programmes from all districts.
“The storytelling and cultural sessions will help the tourists in experiencing a place to the fullest. It will also give them an understanding of the local flora, fauna and culture of the place by organizing homestay facilities in villages with the help of the local people, saidd K Rupesh Kumar, RT Mission Coordinator.
He also added that the local community will be involved in all the tourist programmes with the help of grama sabhas. The project will be extended to all districts according to the success of the programme. The Mission also plans to provide mobile toilets in all tourist destinations, as part of the Responsible Tourism.
