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The Tourism Minister, Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, will on Saturday launch the ‘Saparya' (Synergising Actions through Participatory Approach) initiative of Tourist Resorts Kerala Ltd (TRKL) that aims at comprehensive tourism-led development of the neighbourhood.
TRKL is an agency established to promote investment in the tourism sector and to accelerate tourism infrastructure development in the State.
LAUNCH PILOTS
Saparya is initially being piloted in 35 locally administered areas in the districts of Kannur, Kasaragode, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta.
The launch programme will take place in Pathanamthitta, according to Mr T. K. Manzoor, Managing Director, TRKL.
The novel initiative will seek to develop new tourism destinations with active support of local-self governments in order to develop them through scientific and systematic planning.
Niche tourism products will be evolved with a focus on local heritage, traditional living and the means, thereof, Mr Manzoor said.
NEW PATH
While seeking to involve the local people in planning and implementation, Saparya will also cut a new path in the marketing of the State to foreign tourists.
Current tourism strategy and planning is lopsided in the sense that at least 70 per cent of foreign tourist arrivals get concentrated to the two districts of Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram to the disadvantage of others.
On an average, a foreign tourist spent Rs 51,200 a visit, which was five times of what a domestic tourist is able to afford. The average length of stay was 16 days and six days, respectively.
EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION
Saparya would aim at ensuring equitable distribution of tourism-related resources giving tourists varied exposure to distinct cultures, ethnic lifestyles, traditional arts, hill stations and backwaters across the State.
This would allow foreign tourists to reach hitherto untapped destinations in the villages of the rest of the districts.
TRKL believes that the perception of the tourists also is undergoing a paradigm shift. They have been expressing a wish for unique experiences of the area they visit.
The State of Kerala features a wide array of resources at even the village-level, which could be customised along these lines.
LOCAL RESOURCES
But this necessitates understanding and detailed mapping of the local resources, including natural and cultural heritages and activities of the community in depth.
The only way to achieve this is through the involvement of the local community from the planning level.
A detailed resource mapping should help identify gaps in the tourism resource base and project as comprehensive a map as possible and formulate innovative tourism products.
VARIED FUNDS
Saparya would be implemented through the participation of Government agencies, non-government/voluntary organisations and private entrepreneurs.
Funds available from a wide list of sources, including Central and State Governments, Government departments and local-self government bodies, may be tapped for the purpose.
The varied possibilities of public-private partnership mode could also be explored for implementing the programme.
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