When a ‘sure’ led to world recognition for Kerala tourism

It was a novel concept – defend the water our bodies and supply the vacationers with leisure. Kerala tourism took a historic step when the authorities mentioned “sure” to this concept, casting behind the methods of the previous.

Tourism Minister P S Mohammed Riyas accepted the World Award for Accountable Tourism for the Water Road challenge of the tourism division, on the World Journey Market in London. Tourism Director P B Nooh and Accountable Tourism Mission coordinator Ok Rupesh Kumar took half within the perform.

The Water Road challenge of Maravanthuruthu panchayat in Kottayam district drew particular reward from the jury constituted by the Worldwide Centre for Accountable Tourism that coordinates tourism operations on the world degree, to select the winner from the Indian sub-continent.

Folks’s initiative

The popularity for Kerala got here within the area of tourism linked to water physique safety. Kerala’s challenge was a democratic initiative, the jury mentioned.

The challenge envisages cleansing up canals and different water our bodies and dredging them as much as deepen them and utilizing them as tourism spots.

Geotextiles had been laid to guard the water our bodies and tourism actions akin to kayaking had been launched in them. The jury made a particular point out of the Water Road challenge applied in Maravanthuruthu panchayat.

When the 18 water our bodies of Maravanthuruthu turned a part of the tourism challenge, its uniqueness drew the eye of not solely native vacationers however even overseas guests. Quickly, the native residents turned stakeholders within the tourism challenge. The folks took upon themselves the duty of sustaining the challenge.

The road challenge goals at creating one tourism vacation spot in every place with folks’s participation. Apart from Maravanthuruthu, road tasks are thriving at Kadalundi, Thrithala, Pattithara, Valiyaparamba, Pinarayi, Anjarakandy, Kanthalloor, Manchira, and Chekadi.

Riyas mentioned that the award was a recognition for the tourism actions of Kerala that had been launched after the COVID-19 disaster.

Twin aims

The award jury got here to the conclusion that the Maravanthuruthu challenge was a shining instance of how water our bodies might be protected by means of tourism actions. Underneath the challenge, the panchayat cleaned up 18 canals and deepened them with the participation of the native folks. Clusters of individuals had been entrusted with the duty of defending them.

Items fashioned as a part of the accountable tourism challenge started service packages akin to kayaking, shikara boat travels and canoe excursions. The jury additionally took observe of the structure of a accountable tourism membership to coordinate the actions of the models.

Job assure scheme

The Maravanthuruthu challenge started by guaranteeing that every one the water our bodies had been navigable by taking on the work beneath the employment assure scheme.

The folks dwelling close to the rivers, lakes, and canals took up the duty of planting and sustaining flower crops on the banks.

Native golf equipment will facilitate kayaking by vacationers within the rivers and canals with the assistance of skilled kayaking consultants. Apart from Water Road, tasks akin to Inexperienced Road, Artwork Road, Village Life Expertise Road, Meals Road, and Agri Road are additionally within the pipeline.

Homes flip into artwork centres

Each home within the space sports activities footage of the artwork, tradition and festivals of Maravanthuruthu. It was by means of folks’s participation that these footage turned a actuality, turning the realm into a fascinating one.

Maravanthuruthu is surrounded by the tributaries of the Muvattupuzha river and Vembanad lake.