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 Kerala,
God’s own country…
Kerala is situated in South west India between
the Arabian Sea and the Western
Ghats which are considered as one of the world’s
34 bio-diversity hotspots. It has 12 wildlife sanctuaries
and two national parks which represents a great potential
for future ecotourism development. The major tourism products
are broadly classified as beaches, backwaters, hill stations,
wildlife sanctuaries and culture. Being the birthplace of
Ayurveda, Kerala also offers unique ayurveda treatment.
Kerala is very often referred as India's
most advanced society with a hundred percent literate people,
world-class health care systems, India's lowest infant mortality
and highest life expectancy rates, the highest physical quality
of life in India and the reputation of being India's cleanest
state.
...faces
challenges like most growing destinations
 In
addition to the typical overbuilding aspects and waste’s
impacts of the tourism industry, Kerala is facing a serious
environmental hazard caused by the house boat’s discharge
of sewage and waste waters directly to the backwaters. The
absence of a suitable sewage disposal system in house boats,
has led to contamination of water with unacceptable level
of coliform. The water is found to be unfit for swimming or
fishing activities due to microbial contamination. Since the
number of houseboats is proliferating, the department of tourism
of the Keralan government has decided to set up an eco friendly
sewage treatment plant to treat the sewage pumped out from
house boats at predetermined spots near jetties including
setting up pump out system for draining sewage from collection
tanks of boats.
An
ecotourism leader in India
Kerala is one of the most ambitious destinations in terms
of ecotourism and intends to transform the whole state in
an ecotourism destination. Kerala is also trying to become
an eco-friendly state at all levels and not only on the tourism
front. However, no policy as such for sustainable tourism
has been defined yet, even though the tourism authorities
have established a Tourism
vision 2025, based on sustainable tourism and conservation.
 As
the leader in the ecotourism map of India, along with Sikkim,
Kerala has developed the first planed ecotourism project of
India in Thenmala and created the Thenmala
Ecotourism Promotion Society (TEPS). The Project has been
designed in and around Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary after
conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Another
important feature is the institutionalizing of co-ordination
mechanism among forests, irrigation and tourism departments,
local community, local self government and other stake holders.
Facilities such as boating in the sanctuary reservoir, boardwalk,
sculpture garden, amphitheatre, musical dancing fountain,
etc. are provided in the familiarisation zone at the periphery
of the sanctuary so that pressure of tourism will not affect
the sanctuary itself which is reserved for the trekking activities
which are far less popular especially among the local tourists.
 The
other main local eco-destination is Periyar
tiger Reserve in Thekkady. It is sprawled over an area
of 777 Sq .km. and is one of the 27 tiger reserves in India.
Managed by the forest department, Periyar is a very good example
of community based tourism and is very unique since the programme
is being conducted by a team of poachers who turned protectors
of the forests. By taking tourists along, they are involved
in the conservation of the forests of Periyar and some valuable
revenue is generated for community welfare.
Among the other steps taken by the state
towards sustainable tourism is the publication of a Code
of Ethics for Travellers and Tour Operators visiting Kerala.
A 'Destination Cleaning Programme' has also been started in
key areas of the state as a well as a
zero-waste program at Kovalam beach.
Government of Kerala has also developed
a promotional website for “Ecotourism
hotspots” as well as an eco-certification
scheme for the hospitality sector.
Considering Kerala is very dynamic and always
developing new projects, you can check their
website for more updated information.
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