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Responsible Tourism pilot projects being implemented in the key destinations of Kovalam, Kumarakom, Thekkady and Wayanad in the State by Kerala Tourism are to get a fillip with the streamlining of the Procurement-Supply Activity Groups.

Reputable Non-Governmental Organisations are to be roped in to streamline the functioning of the activity groups. It is the responsibility of the activity groups to ensure sourcing and supplying of products needed for the hotel industry in these destinations.

Coordination

The M.S. Swaminathan Foundation has been approached in Wayanad for the purpose. “The effort is to coordinate the activities of several organisations involved in the supply of organic products to 20-odd hotels which had joined the Responsible Tourism initiative in Wayanad,” says U.V. Jose, Chief Operating Officer, Great Indian Tourism Planners and Consultants International (Gitpac) that has been entrusted with the implementation of the Responsible Tourism project by Kerala Tourism.

The effort is to provide a coordinated approach to the five NGO’s that are already supplying organic products and Kudumbasree units, and to rope in the Wayanad Tourism Organisation and Uravu to ensure steady supply of hill produce, spices and souvenirs.

Challenge

The biggest challenge being faced in the four tourist destinations by those implementing the initiatives with the help of the local bodies and the stake-holders of the tourism industry is putting in place a sustainable procurement-supply model.

In Kumarakom, 15 hotels are participating in the initiatives and already the supplies to the hotels had become stabilised. As many as 180 Kudumbasree units and 510 farmers had joined hands. A cultivation calendar had been prepared to ensure steady supply of materials to the hotels. The product on offer is in the range of 40-45.

To give further boost to the initiative in the famed backwater resort of Kumarakom, a one-day village experience canal ride through Kandankavu Thodu had been worked out.

In Thekkady

In Thekkady, 750 farmers had joined the initiative and of them 150 are providing products to the 20-odd hotels which had joined the initiative. The activity group has been put into place in Thekkady. As many as 60 individual farmers and three Karshaka Samithies in Kottukal, Vizhinjam and Venganoor panchayats had joined the initiative in Kovalam to supply the products. Already five groups have been identified for procurement and supply of the products needed for the hotels and restaurants.

Garbage crisis

The Destination Cells could effectively intervene in Kovalam to solve the garbage crisis before the peak season and to install street lights at Kumarakom. The focus is on energy, water and waste, and a survey is on how to conserve energy in all the destinations.

Mr. Jose said resource mapping has commenced as part of looking beyond beaches and backwaters and to provide economic linkages. A survey to find out the change in attitude of the people towards tourism has also been launched as part of the Responsible Tourism initiative.