This village near Vembanad lake is promoting a host of tourism products
When the State closed down itself for the visitors last year, Ezhumanthuruth, an obscure village in Kaduthuruthy panchayat , got to work.
With its proximity to the sprawling Vembanad lake, a network of canals and interminable network of farmlands, the location is not short of attractions.
Considering the potential, it hence focused on plugging the gaps that began with a mapping of resources and developing a destination code, followed by training sessions to the local community and projects for waste management.
Now, as the State gradually reopens its tourism sector, Ezhumanthuruth is ready to cash in with a host of tourism products that are cent percent locally-owned. From boat rides through its canals to experiencing its cultural heritage, these products involve massive local participation and seek to maintain a balance between the guests and the local community.
The village destination, according to officials with the Responsible Tourism Mission, Kerala, is one among a handful of villages up and down the backwater region of Kottayam that are preparing to draw tourists.
Besides Ezhumanthuruth, the local bodies of Neendoor and Arpookkara too have kickstarted similar programmes to ensure a place in the global tourism map.
“An administrative sanction for expanding the scope of Responsible Tourism initiatives to these locations has been granted. The programmes in these destinations will go along with the second phase of similar projects in Aymanam and Thiruvarppu panchayats,” explained K.Rupesh Kumar, Co- ordinator, RT Mission Kerala.
According to him, Kottayam currently has the most number of villages that have developed the capacity to share its life experiences to the visitors. Besides those included in the RT mission’s scope, Vaikom town and nine panchayats adjoining it too are being developed under a programme for People’s Participation for Planning and Empowerment through Responsible Tourism or PEPPER.
Meanwhile, plans also afoot to expand the responsible tourism practices to 10 more local bodies outside Kollam through the PEPPER project. A formal declaration of this initiative is expected later next month
Tourism officials said the development of tourism in these villages are also expected to raise the length of stay of the visitors and thus benefit the State’s hospitality sector.
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