The Hindu Business Line : Kerala: Public awareness campaign on tourism launched

Those are the key objectives of the public awareness campaign launched recently by the State's Department of Tourism. Simultaneously, the tourism and police departments together have launched a new look Tourism Police service. While Mr A.K. Antony, the Chief Minister of Kerala, launched the revamped Tourism Police, Mr Vakkom Purushothaman, Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, unveiled the public awareness campaign.

The campaign, targeted exclusively at the people of the State, consists of six short films in Malayalam that will be screened on regional television channels and in cinema theatres across Kerala. Tourism officials point out that a unique feature of the campaign, scheduled to being in the second week of November, is that the films do not feature any professional models.

Collectively titled Adhideyathwathinte Devasparsham (God's own touch of hospitality), the films try to instil a sense of pride in Kerala and it's heritage, and also in the positive role that tourism has played.

For instance, one of the films shows foreigners who have mastered Kerala's traditional art forms such as Kathakali and Mohiniyattom posing the question: `Today, the world is proud of Kerala. Are you?' Two other films try to shatter the perception that tourism destroys tradition and culture using testimonials from a taxi driver and an exponent of Arjuna Nritham — an almost extinct art form of Kerala.

Another film highlights how effective a smile can be as a symbol of hospitality, while the remaining two films stress the need to preserve the State's heritage and the importance of keeping the Kerala clean.

Officials say the revamped Tourism Police force of approximately 180 members will be deployed at all tourist destinations across the State. The police department and professionals from the travel industry have jointly trained the members of this special force.

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