KOTTAYAM:
With Kumarakom in Kottayam having been chosen as an ‘Iconic Destination’ in India, a two-day stakeholder consultation programme to discuss various measures and potential related to comprehensive tourism project implementation will get underway here today (March 16).
Kumarakom is among the 12 ‘Iconic Destinations’ picked by the Union Government from across India. A Central delegation led by K J Alphons, Union Minister of State for Tourism, and comprising Rashmi Verma, Union Tourism Secretary; Suman Billa, Tourism Joint Secretary; Sanjay Shreevats, Regional Director (South); Bharti Sharma, Asst. Director General; Senthur Kumaran, Manager, India Tourism, Kochi; Drashana Mali and Niraj Bhan, PMC; will hold discussions with the tourism stakeholders in Kumarakom region as part of the programme.
Kerala’s Tourism Secretary Rani George; Kerala Tourism Additional Director Jaffer Malik; Kerala Tourism Joint Director [Ernakulam] Nandakumar; Planning Officer Satheesh V S; and Kerala Responsible Tourism Coordinator K Roopesh Kumar; will be among the Kerala officials who would be participating in the stakeholder consultation programme.
On the first day (March 16), the team would undertake site visits to the Village Life Experience destinations and Responsible Tourism spots in Kumarakom in the morning. A houseboat trip for field visits around Kumarakom will also be undertaken. In the afternoon, they would meet again for a review of the Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD schemes.
Rashmi Verma, Tourism Secretary, Government of India, would chair a first-round discussion with the tourism stakeholders, including tourism entrepreneurs, houseboat owners, resort owners, taxi operators, local self-help groups, hoteliers, NGOs and tourist guides from the region, soon after the review meeting. The discussions are part of lining up measures towards smoother implementation of various projects in the tourism arena in Kumarakom.
On March 17 (Saturday) morning, the Union Minister of State for Tourism, K J Alphons will chair a second round of meeting with tourism stakeholders. People’s representatives from the region will also be part of the second round of meeting. The two-day programme will come to an end on Saturday.
