Kerala - Kochi   

Model tourism village set for launch

Photo: Vipin Chandran

RUSTIC CHARM: The park at the entrance of the Kumbalanghi Model Tourism Village. —

KOCHI: Kumbalanghi model tourism village project is all set for formal commissioning, with the work almost over. All it needs now is an appointment of Ambika Soni, Union Minister for Tourism.

And when it is happening, life inside the village moves on in its languid pace. For, the international attention has not reflected on the crust of life in this idyllic village, on the city outskirts.

“The project is almost complete, barring some odd points. A site inspection will be held next week to assess the work as the formal commissioning is expected to be in August or September,” said M. Beena, District Collector, who is the nodal officer for the tourism project.

The United Nations Development Programme, which supported the project, will end by October.

It has provided awareness to the local residents about village tourism and conducted training.

As the next phase of marketing, the UNDP is planning to post details of 25 homestays on the website.

“We are expecting Australian tourists, brought in by UNDP. This will bring in a new dimension to tourism movement,” said M.P. Sivadathan, chairman of Kumbalanghi Model Tourism Village Development Society.

Even though the physical conditions of the village has not improved considerably and the much-publicised Kalagramam (Art Village) created on an artificial island created in the backwater is nowhere near completion, homestay industry in the village has taken off.

“The UNDP has asked the society to prepare the village to host a 100-member tourist group coming from abroad for a couple of days. We convened a meeting of homestays as well as those interested in the industry recently. After the meeting, 20 more people volunteered to set up homestays. This should be enough to meet the UNDP demand,” said Mr. Sivadathan.

With that, Kumbalanghi will firmly establish its claim as one of the most favoured rural retreats in the State.

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