The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Focus on Responsible Tourism practices

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Saturday, Aug 23, 2008
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Kerala - Kochi

Focus on Responsible Tourism practices

John L. Paul

Kochi to host fifth Kerala Travel Mart

KOCHI: The efforts being made to promote Responsible Tourism practices in Kerala will be the main focus of the fifth Kerala Travel Mart proposed to be held at Le Meridien International Convention Centre here from September 21 to 23.

Kochi had in March this year played host to the Second International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations, where the Kerala Declaration on Responsible Tourism was passed.

A major highlight of the Kerala Travel Mart will be the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) workshop sponsored by India Tourism as part of the diplomatic initiative involving the three countries.

Tourism Secretary V. Venu has said the Union government is seeing tourism as a means of enhancing ties with other countries. Thirty tour operators from the two countries will be among the buyers from abroad coming to attend the business-to-business meet and the workshop.

As of now, 920 buyers from the country and 520 from abroad have registered for the event. So far, 202 people operating a variety of tourism ventures in the State have registered as sellers.

The number of participants in the mart held every two years has been increasing. “As part of highlighting Kerala as a Responsible Tourism destination, Kudumbasree and some rural-development agencies will showcase their products and capabilities,” says Dr. Venu. In fact, a special exhibition has been planned for them. This and the numerous pre and post-mart tours arranged for the buyers will help them to have a first-hand experience of the State’s efforts to strengthen Responsible Tourism in this part of the world, he says.

The increase in number of flights from the Kozhikode airport has resulted in more tourist inflow to Malabar, a region where Kerala Tourism has been giving special emphasis to.

A large number of buyers are interested in Ayurveda, says Mathew Philip, CEO of the KTM Society. “Apart from Brazil and South Africa, the number of buyers has increased from Sweden, Poland, Australia and the U.S., which are emerging markets for Kerala Tourism. There are two types of buyers – those who come to reaffirm their partnership and the ones who would like to test the waters. Over the years, the Mart has come to be a good platform to launch tourism products and services of the State,” he says.

A whole lot of travel writers too will come.

Though there was a proposal to host the India International Boat Show alongside the Mart, it has been dropped.

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