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Kerala Tourism observed World Tourism Day across the State with several programmes including the sharing of Responsible Tourism (RT) initiatives, awareness programmes, seminars, quiz and photography.
The celebrations were marked by two competitions: an Online Photography Contest, open to amateur photographers and an Innovative Ideas for Responsible Tourism Contest, open to all tourism clubs in schools and colleges. These two competitions were aimed at ensuring community participation in sustainable tourism development and organized on the theme of this year’s World Tourism Day - Tourism and Community Development.
Kerala Tourism is a pioneer in establishing community development programmes addressing all the issues – be it economic, cultural, environmental or social– related to tourism which became a replicable model for the world. About six years ago, Responsible Tourism in Kerala made its debut in the backwater village of Kumarakom. After establishing its roots in Kumarakom, the practice of RT was introduced to three more destinations in Kerala viz. Wayanad, Thekkady and Kovalam. Parallel to RT, Kerala Tourism also launched Village Life Experience packages, which help in the development of local community in tourism destinations across the State.
It was in January this year that Kerala Tourism won the prestigious Ulysses Award of the United Nations World Tourism Organization for 'Innovation in Public Policy and Governance'. Kerala became the first Indian State to be honoured with this award. It was the responsible tourism model implemented in Kumarakom that fetched Kerala this coveted award. The responsible tourism model implemented at Kumarakom, successfully linked the local community with the hospitality industry as well as the government departments. Prior to the Ulysses award Kerala's responsible tourism model at Kumarakom had won the National award for the Best Rural Tourism Project and the PATA Grand Award for Environment.
