Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Virtual reality of State's tourist destinations on the Web

S. Anil Radhakrishnan

Log on towww.keralatourism.organd enjoy a virtual tour

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Tourism has created a virtual reality of the State's most sought-after tourist destinations such as Kovalam, Munnar, Kumarakom and Bekal as part of making its official website more appealing to tourists.

The virtual environs of the famed beach resort of Kovalam, Kumarakom, which shot into fame sometime ago with the holidaying of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Munnar, Fort Kochi, Periyar Lake and the wildlife sanctuary at Thekkady, Bekal and houseboats have been created to provide a unique visual experience for those logging on to the website.

With the click of a mouse, the browser would be able to get almost a 360-degree view of a subject with options to move around in any direction for wide-angle views and close-ups. The creation of the virtual environment with Quick Time Virtual Reality (QTVR) Panoramas will enable the browser an experience that is close to reality.

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, while listing out a 10-point mission for making Kerala a developed State by 2015 (in his July 28 address to the State Assembly), had suggested that the website exploit the visual power of the web to depict the State's natural beauty and cultural complexities. Mr. Kalam said the site should aim at taking the tourists on a virtual tour and provide customised tours based on their interest. The virtual environment has been created on www. keralatourism.org at a cost of Rs.41.60 lakhs. A sum of Rs.6.80 lakhs has been spent for creating a virtual environment of houseboats and Rs.5.80 lakhs each for other six tourist attractions. Kerala Tourism's Information Technology solution provider has executed the project.

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