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Setting a role model for the entire country in insulating tourists from Covid-19 to the maximum, Kerala has rolled out an efficient and meticulous Bio-bubble model to create protective layers of mostly inoculated service providers to receive and host tourists.
Bio-bubbles are sanitized, safe and secure environments, in which people who are likely to come into contact with tourists are vaccinated.
The protective ring of the bio-bubble will ensure that tourists landing in any airport in Kerala meet only vaccinated ground staff. From the airport, they can drive to their chosen destinations in cabs, provided by accredited tour operators, whose drivers are all vaccinated. The same applies to the hotels, resorts or homestays they stay in during their holiday, where the staff are vaccinated.
All tourism centres in Kerala re-opened on August 9. They will be accessible to tourists who have had at least the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, or possess a negative RT-PCR test certificate taken within 72 hours.
Kerala had launched a highly successful, targeted campaign to vaccinate the entire population in tourism destinations, with Vythiri in Wayanad district being declared as the first destination to achieve the status. The drive aims to inoculate all the stakeholders in the tourism industry. The campaign will soon be completed in all tourist destinations across the state.
The Bio-bubble model forms part of a set of well-planned and time-bound schemes initiated by Tourism Minister Mr. P. A. Mohammed Riyas for an early revival of the pandemic-ravaged travel and hospitality sector by turning all tourism spots cent percent safe zones. “The safety of guests is non-negotiable as far as Kerala Tourism is concerned. The Bio-bubble initiative is meant to ensure that the tourists have a risk-free stay in our state. This initiative will tell the world that Kerala is a place where you can holiday safely,” Mr. Riyas said.
“Kerala Tourism has outlived grim crises and devastating natural calamities like floods and epidemics that battered its infrastructure and economy. We have proved to be resilient by bouncing back from each crisis. Agreed, the Covid-19 pandemic has been unprecedented in its sweep and dimension. The best way to come out of this pandemic- induced setback is to set the highest premium on the safety of tourists,” said Dr. Venu V IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Govt of Kerala.
“The lockdown-weary people from all corners of the world will be treading to safe and healthy places when tourism opens up globally and nationally. Going by our natural assets and advanced social milieu, Kerala has immense scope to tap the incoming rush to unpolluted and less crowded spaces. Creation of a safety shield like the Bio-bubble is a vital component in keeping the state tourism sector ready,” said Mr. V. R. Krishna Teja IAS, Director of Tourism, Kerala.
Wayanad Becomes First District in Country to Vaccinate 100% of Eligible Population
Wayanad has become the first district in the country to vaccinate around 100% of its targeted eligible population against Covid-19. The district administration organized vaccination drives with the support of civic bodies, Tribal Development, Health, and Labour Departments, members of Kudumbashree Mission and ASHA workers to achieve the feat.
The Health Minister Ms. Veena George said 6,16,112 of the 6,51,967 targeted people, above 18 years of age, were inoculated in Wayanad district. People who tested positive for the infection, those in quarantine, and the people who refused the vaccine were exempted from the drive, Ms. George said.
Tourism contributes the major share of revenue for Wayanad, with the district recording an average footfall of 12,000 foreign and 9 lakh domestic tourists annually. A bio-diverse region, the district is a holistic confluence of wilderness, ancient history and exotic culture. Chembra Peak, Kuruvadweep, Vythiri Hill Station, Banasura Sagar Dam and Edakkal Caves are among the popular destinations in the district.
To check the latest rules and orders on Covid protocols, check the following link: https://www.keralatourism.org/latestnews/
