The Hindu : Kerala News : Kerala Tourism to promote home-stays

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 11, 2006
ePaper

Kerala

Kerala

Kerala Tourism to promote home-stays

John L. Paul

To bring out directory of farms and home-stays with photographs

KOCHI: The Kerala Tourism Department will help in marketing farm and home-stays in the State, considering the crucial part they have come to play in providing accommodation and related facilities to tourists visiting the State.

That home-stays have come to stay in Kerala's tourism circuit was proven at last week's Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) held in Kochi, where 50 of the State's 300 home-stays participated. "We decided to provide marketing support to home-stays since many of them are small and medium players, who find it difficult to advertise their properties in the media and to participate in international travel marts," says Tourism Director B. Suman.

For this, the department will bring out a directory containing names, contact details and photographs of farms and home-stays. These directories will be distributed at international marts. Prior to this, home-stays will be classified on the basis of stringent norms, just as is being done for luxury hotels. "Home-stays are a good way to make for the shortage of hotel rooms in the State. It also acts as a source of income for families. The Department of Tourism will ensure that farms and homestays are hygienic and well-furnished. "Already, we are providing subsidy to renovate heritage buildings for use as home-stays, under the Grihasthali scheme," Mr. Suman said.

Former Tourism Minister K.V. Thomas, who introduced the concept in the State, says that the first three KTMs were focused on promoting Kerala's hotels and resorts. "This time, it was the turn of home-stays. They bring about economic development, as most of the farms and home-stays are located in suburbs and rural areas. A whole lot of people stand to gain by the promotion of traditional art forms and ethnic food, which form part of home-stays," he said.

"With tourists pouring in, home-stays ensure the cleanliness of the locality. This happened in Kumbalanghi, the first model-tourism village in the country. Moreover, instead of knocking down old houses, people renovate them as home-stays. Farm tourism will provide the much-needed help to farmers in distress. Both farm and home-stays have come to be unique products of Kerala-model tourism," Mr. Thomas said.

Among the heritage home-stays in Kerala is Olappamanna Mana located in Vellinezhi village, Palakkad. "Some portions of the huge building are over 300-years old," says O.N. Damodaran, who along with his two brothers runs the home-stay that is spread on 20 acres.

"Vellinezhi is popular for the numerous Kathakali and `Chenda' artistes, apart from `kalamezhuttipattu.' Thus we promote cultural tourism. There was tremendous response to our mana at the KTM," he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala