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The famed Responsible Tourism (RT) project fetched Kerala Tourism the Global Vision Award 2022 instituted by US-based travelandleisure.com, earning the state a fresh boost for its efforts to make travel a tool for the long-term development of villages.
The New York-headquartered website gives away the honour to individuals, companies, organisations and tourist centres that implement tourism and transportation projects that are experiential, sustainable and environment-friendly. A 14-member jury announced the Travel + Leisure Awards, totalling five, based on a scrutiny of applications from across the globe.
The judges noted that Kerala, which implemented RT in October 2017, has been functioning on an exemplary model that enables tourism to encourage poverty eradication, women’s empowerment, social progress and better agriculture practices. The project ensures RT makes the place ideal to live in and visit. Its beneficiaries include local artists, artisans and farmers, the jury said.
The Tourism Minister Mr P. A. Mohamed Riyas said the post-Covid world accords unprecedented importance to experiential tourism, with its focus on villages. The award highlights the global acceptance of the state’s RT Mission, and acknowledges its exemplary work, he added.
Dr Venu V., Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism), noted that the Travel + Leisure Awards typically go to those institutions that facilitate comprehensive changes in society through tourism. The latest honour is indicative of Kerala’s much-touted social indices along with the development of tourism, he pointed out.
The Kerala Tourism Director Mr V. R. Krishna Teja said the award is in recognition of the state’s excellent work in Responsible Tourism that guarantees benefits to people from all strata of society through different activities of the mission.
The RT Mission State Coordinator Mr K. Rupeshkumar said the award gives the body a boost to make tourism a domain with the participation of the common people for their benefit.
