The Hindu Business Line : Ecotourism body launches unified logo, Web site

Initiatives
Of the 56 sites identified for projects, work on 47 is on.
Ecotourism Directorate received Rs 3 cr from State in current fiscal.
Work on circuits connecting major ecotourism projects in progress

Our Bureau

Thiruvananthapuram, July 25 Kerala’s Ecotourism Directorate has unveiled a common logo for its ecotourism offerings and has also launched a Web site that showcases all the ecotourism initiatives of Kerala Tourism.

Speaking at the launch ceremony in the city on Wednesday, Kerala Tourism Minister, Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, said that a number of wildlife-centered ecotourism projects in Kerala have been made successful with the involvement of local communities.

Fifty-six sites across the State have been identified as suitable for ecotourism projects, he pointed out. Work on 47 of these sites is currently on, in association with the Kerala Forest Department.

Work on several ecotourism circuits connecting major ecotourism projects in the State is in progress, he said. The Ecotourism Directorate has received a budgetary allocation of Rs 3 crore from the State Government during the current fiscal, he added.

For awareness

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Dr Venu V., Secretary-Tourism, Government of Kerala, pointed out that there is very little awareness about Kerala’s ecotourism offerings. The common logo and branding — ‘Kerala by Nature’ — for the State’s ecotourism initiatives will help create a unified brand and make it easier to market Kerala’s ecotourism offerings, he said.

The Web site — www.ecotoursimkeralam.org — has information on 16 of Kerala Tourism’s ecotourism projects. It also has information on Kerala’s ecotourism certification norms and tips for people visiting forest-based ecotourism projects.

Brochure

The Ecotourism Directorate has also published a brochure titled ‘Step in to Nature’s Playground’, with information on 18 ecotourism projects in Kerala. The brochure includes information on the possible ecotourism activities in each of these locations, accommodation options, contact information, and information on how to access each site.

The ecotourism projects include Thenmala, Periyar, Parambikulam, Eravikulam, Konni, Shenduruney, Aralam, Neyyar, Gavi, and Arippa.

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