Kerala Begins Online Registration for Caravan Operators, Park Facilitators

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Taking forward its stakeholder-friendly caravan tourism project expeditiously, Kerala Tourism Department has begun the online registration process for tourist caravan operators and caravan park facilitators.

While the investors interested in operating tourist caravans can make registration by logging onto https://www.keralatourism.org/keravan-kerala/register/tourist-caravan, those interested in establishing caravan parks across the state can join the project by doing the registration through https://www.keralatourism.org/keravan-kerala/register-park/caravan-park

All the details including the subsidies and incentives for investors, parameters of caravan operation, procedures and protocols to be followed and the norms for setting up caravan parks have been laid down in detail in the registration site which can be accessed through www.keralatourism.org/keravan-kerala

The caravan tourism policy, unveiled a couple of months back by Kerala Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas, seeks to usher in a paradigm shift in experiential tourism by laying out the entire state with its diverse joys for visitors, including the panoramic nature and vibrant culture.

Within a short span, the project branded as ‘Keravan Kerala’ has elicited keen interest from auto majors, top travel and hospitality players, local self-government institutions and service providers down to the grass roots.

Under the policy , the first 100 caravans will get a subsidy of Rs 7.50 lakh or 15 per cent of the cost, whichever is less. The next 100 vehicles will get Rs 5 lakh or 10 per cent of the cost, whichever is less. For 201 to 300 caravans, it will be Rs 2.50 lakh or 5 per cent of the cost, whichever is less. The subsidy will be available for five caravans for an individual investor or a group, for three years.

BharatBenz rolled out its spanking new and features-laden tourism caravan last month. Commercial Vehicle makers Isuzu, Tata Motors and Force Motors are also to come out with their tourist caravans soon.

Hospitality major CGH Earth has announced plans to set up as many as 10 caravan parks in different locales, starting with its first park on a five-acre site in the backdrop of a tea plantation at Marayoor in high-range Idukki district.

The policy emphasizes that tourist caravans should be comfortable, fully regulation-compliant and safe, giving a homely feeling for the guests. There will be two models of caravans – those having two travelers on board and those for a family of four. The caravans should have all in-built comforts such as a sofa-cum-bed, refrigerator, microwave oven, dining table, toilet cubicle, driver’s cabin, internet connection and GPS. Ensuring the safety of guests, the movement of caravans in any part of the state will be digitally monitored.

Giving thrust to sustainable development, the policy has made it clear that caravan parks will be located in natural settings without upsetting the environment, giving top priority to tourists’ safety and security.

Caravan parks can be developed as private, public or joint ventures or by local self government institutions on sites that fulfill the parameters. A park, which needs at least 50 cents of land, should have space to accommodate five vehicles at a time with facilities like food park, rest rooms, activity area and driver’s lodge

‘Keravan Kerala’ has been conceived as a unique product promising the visitors a once-in-a lifetime experience combining the luxury of caravans, the idyllic settings of caravan parks and village life experience provided by the globally acclaimed Responsible Tourism initiative of Kerala.