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Kerala will host the Global Women’s Conference on Responsible and Gender-Inclusive Tourism at Munnar hill station from November 30 to December 2, 2024, focusing on increasing women's participation and representation in the tourism sector. This four-day event, organized by the Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission (RT Mission), aligns with the policy of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) for promoting gender inclusivity in tourism. The event will highlight the pioneering efforts made by Kerala in establishing female-friendly tourism initiatives.
Kerala stands out as the first state to introduce women-friendly tourism initiatives, with a focus on empowerment, gender inclusiveness and safety. Shri P. A. Mohamed Riyas, Minister, Kerala Tourism, emphasized that the project reflects an innovative approach within the tourism sector, setting new standards for inclusivity. With a noticeable rise in women traveling solo or in groups, the state’s tourism initiatives actively encourage these trends by fostering women’s involvement in tourism-related businesses, such as homestays, restaurants and guided tours.
The RT Mission has been working closely with UN Women-India, which offers technical support through safety studies, gender audits and workshops. Several tourism destinations in Kerala have already adopted women-friendly practices, ensuring a safer and more inclusive experience for female travellers.
Shri K. Biju, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, highlighted the fact that the initiative focuses on experiential and sustainable tourism by offering stay packages, artistic villages and cultural streets. Ensuring safety and hygiene standards at tourist destinations is also a priority under this project, in order to make Kerala a preferred destination for female travellers.
The conference will provide a platform for exchanging ideas, and highlighting the global relevance of gender-inclusive tourism. It will also facilitate networking among organizations and institutions that are actively working towards promoting women-friendly tourism.
Smt. Sikha Surendran, Director, Kerala Tourism, emphasized the importance of increasing women's participation in tourism, explaining that these initiatives have been boosting the confidence of women travellers, resulting in increased tourist inflow. The RT Mission has identified 18,000 women-friendly tourism projects, with 70% of them led by women entrepreneurs. According to the RT Mission Society CEO Shri Rupeshkumar K., the organization aims to integrate all women-led enterprises under one umbrella, bringing together tour leaders, tour operators, drivers and homestay owners to create a unified network.
Kerala has also made history as the first state to conduct gender audits within the tourism sector, empowering women from rural areas to join the tourism economy. With safety audits completed at 68 locations and gender audits underway at six centres, plans are afoot to extend the initiative to ten more centres this year.
The Women Friendly Tourism Project, launched on October 26, 2022, aims to empower women and attract more female tourists to Kerala. Additionally, the project focuses on uplifting marginalized communities and reducing poverty by promoting women-led businesses such as homestays and exclusive travel packages for female tourists.
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