Kerala Tours Blog

The state is giving its tourism industry a rejuvenating treatment to lure the thinking traveler.

In the months of May, June and July more than six lakh foreign and domestic tourists land up on a sliver on the southern-most tip of the sub-continent to laze on houseboats lolling in its backwaters, get rejuvenating oil baths or simply gaze at the majesty of the monsoons. And this ­— the monsoon season — is the lean period for tourism in Kerala!

The state successfully marketed its serene backwaters, well-managed wild-life sanctuaries, ayurvedic treatments, temple festivals and boat races to attract the high-spending tourist. From a single-beach destination — Kovalam — in the early 1990s, Kerala transformed into a multi-experience tourism paradise that National Geographic Traveller magazine voted as one of the 50 must-see places in the world.

And the numbers amply support the claim. In 2010, the number of foreign tourists arriving in the state increased by 18 percent over the previous year to about 6.6 lakh, while the number of domestic tourists increased by 9 percent to reach 86 lakh.

Revenue from tourism, which crossed Rs. 17,350 crore in 2010, accounts for nearly 9 percent of the state’s output.

The decidedly elitist tourism industry in Kerala has also remained unaffected by the state’s industry-unfriendly image — thanks to militant trade unions and often narrow-minded politics — and has, in fact, got unstinted government backing. In 2005, the state passed a legislation — the Kerala Tourism (Conservation and Preservation of Areas) Act — for the sustainable development of tourism destinations.

But now, Kerala, or rather Kerala Tourism, is looking beyond its backwaters and ayurveda and is preparing to entice tourists on an entire new platform: As a cultural hotspot. The idea is to offer the discerning traveller intellectual stimulation along with natural beauty.

“We’ve been there, done that. Kerala is already in the mindscape of travellers. The focus now is on style and being edgy,” says state tourism secretary Venu V., about the state’s marketing strategy. “Call it Kerala Tourism 2.0 if you will.”

Reviving an Ancient Port
Two millennia ago, the monsoon winds that brought rains to Kerala also filled the sails of ships with Greeks, Arabs, Jews, Romans and merchants and mariners from across the world. Somewhere along the coast was tucked a port called Muziris, where these vessels anchored and traded gold and silver for pepper, making the town an international exchange point for goods and ideas between 100 B.C. and 100 A.D.

Kerala is betting on the history of this ancient port to lure modern travelers, with the Muziris Heritage project as an ambitious attempt to merge history with culture and leisure.

It started with archaeological excavation in Pattanam, about 30 km north of Kochi, of what many believe to be the port city of Muziris. The exact location of the port has, however, remained a mystery. It was earlier believed to be situated at Kodungallur, a few kilometres north of Pattanam.

There are two kinds of literature that contain references to Muziris, says P.J. Cherian, director of the excavations at Pattanam and director of the Kerala Council for Historical Research. One set comprises texts in Latin and Greek, the languages of trade, written like handbooks or manuals based on facts and rationale. The second is a set of Tamil texts that are laced with fiction and legends, says Cherian.

Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, who lived between 23 A.D. and 79 A.D., refers to Muziris in his encyclopaedic work Natural History as “primum emporium Indiae” or India’s first emporium.

He explained that travellers could reach the port quickly if they caught the wind called Hippalus from Ocelis on the Red Sea. Tamil Sangam poetry referred to it as the place where large Yavana ships arrived bearing gold and returned with pepper.

Article source – http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/features/keralathe-gateway-india_559204.html

Karnataka tourism department that had recently announced to provide helicopter-tourism facilities for the passengers will soon turn into reality by March 2011. The helicopter bases are now being built in historical sites at Hampi, Pattadakal and Bijapur.

According to the information revealed by Karnataka Principal Secretary for Tourism K Jothiramalingam, an aviation operator from Delhi had already won a tender for operating 2 helicopters from Hampi for the heli tourism. Under the terms of conditions, the state government has offered to underwrite 30 hours of travel a month per helicopter.

Also, a base with hanger facilities is being built at Hampi at the total cost of Rs 5 crore. The helicopter tourism that will be made available on 4 circuits – heritage, beach, religious and Malnad will be mostly overnight trips. On one of the highest-flying routes – Hampi-Bijapur route, tourists would be taken to Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole from Hospet, with the option of having breakfast or lunch at Tungabhadra dam.

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala tourism has launched novel schemes in which Non Resident Keralites (NRKs) can invite friends from their places of stay to home state and a free holiday at home in return.

The “bring home a friend” (BHF) initiative was launched by state home and tourism minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan here last evening to involve Malayalee diaspora in promoting their home state as a preferred tourist destination.

Side-by-side, an “audio guide” service to provide multiple language information on mobile phone about major tourism spots in the state was also inaugurated.

People from anywhere in the world could receive information of tourist centres by dialling the dedicated number “0-9048755555.”

“Both the initiatives are part of the tourism department’s efforts to use technology to attract visitors to the state, which has already emerged as a major destination in India”, the minister said.

The ‘bring home’ initiative would involve NRKs outside the country as well as within India. Under the scheme, the NRKs should first register on homepage for ‘bring home a friend” on the Kerala tourism website “www.keralatourism.org/bhf/” , which has already become functional.

After the registration, they could refer their friends to the same website. Each reference would automatically be forwarded to three accredited tour operators, who, in turn, would present their packages to the prospective visitors.

The “audio guide” was designed as a recorded, spoken commentary on major tourist locations to help visitors to have a self-guided tour of the state, which was the first such service to be offered by an Indian state. Telecom major Vodafone had been selected as the technology partner which had offered server space dedicated E1Line and dedicated fancy number with user friendly IVR.

News Source by – http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Kerala-tourism-ropes-in-NRKs-to-lure-visitors/articleshow/7515461.cms

Kerala has some of the immaculate hill stations in India, with the entire Western Ghats dotted with evergreens, rolling grasslands, shoals and stretches of rejuvenating delicate scent of tea and coffee plantations. If there is one place in the riveting diversity of India where there is tangible beauty and a phenomenal thing like total literacy, it is in Kerala. Shining brooks and cascades that interstice the hills finally roll down to the coastal plains of Kerala where they laze through verdant stretches of paddy fields, coconut trees and feeds some of the splendorous expanse of backwaters and lakes. The wilder side of Kerala has in store some of the best wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in the country with a variety of plant and animal life unique to Kerala.This small state at the southern tip of the Indian peninsula is an easy winner owing to its beautiful landscape, intriguing customs, high-intensity cultural life and an educated public so often dressed in white.

TOURISM ATTRACTIONS IN KERALA

The entire state of Kerala is a tourist destination and at every corner of this state, one can experience something new. It is not without any reason that the Keralites call their state the ‘God’s Own Country’. Backwaters, historical structures, culture, wildlife, and natural beauty, the state has all these and more. The major tourist destinations in the state include Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kovalam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Munnar, Palakkad, Alappuzha, Kollam, Kannur, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, and Sabrimalai etc.

FAIRS & FESTIVALS OF KERALA

Onam is a time for sports and celebrations and in Kerala-where one third of the area is low lying, covered with canals, lakes, and backwaters-the people take to their boats and country crafts to celebrate.

Brightly aquatic festivals are prearranged along the sacred rive Pampa. Depending on the positioning of the stars and the moon, the festival is held at the end of August or beginning of September.

Christmas is another festival that is celebrated with much vigour and enthusiasm in the state. Other important festivals of the state are Eid, Muharram, and other festivals that are traditionally celebrated all over the country..

AYURVEDA’, BACKWATER, BEACHES

Let yourselves cast away amidst the tranquil vicinity of a backwater islet, treat your body and soul to ‘Ayurveda’ – the sacred knowledge of life. Take a backwater cruise on a country boat with palm fringed land on either side and experience the many faces of the backwater life of Kerala.

Yearn for for Sun & Sand! .. Come and hold the golden sands of its clean and tidy beaches pep up your spirits under the tropical sun and feel the pulse of its coastal life. You can also enhance your gastronomy skills or give a break to your taste buds and savor some of the ethnic dishes of the land.

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