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'Farmstays' are Kerala's new tourist USP
Kochi: The tourism industry in Kerala is selling the concept of farmstays and homestays in its ongoing Kerala Travel Mart (KTM). As many as 50 stall have been put up in these two categories at the KTM. There is little doubt left that it has become a new trend in the already robust tourism industry of the State. "About 70 percent of them are first-timers at KTM. The state already has over 300 homestays and farmstays spread across different districts. Some of them are in the remotest locations and that makes them all the more attractive spots," said KTM Society President Jose Dominic. Farmstays provide individual bungalows to stay in rural atmosphere, privacy and restful views within a few kilometres of the major cities in the area. While Kottayam district continues to lead with the maximum number of homestays, Alappuzha and Kochi are fast catching up.
The
new attractions in the list are Palakkad, Kannur and Wayanad. Kandath
Tharavadu was the first name in the homestay list of Palakkad district,
while Olappamanna Mana was launched in January this year. "When I started
this venture eight years back, I had just one client in the first year.
I got over 150 clients last year," said KS Bhagawaldas who runs the Kandath
Tharavadu homestay at Thenkurissi in Palakkad. According to O N Damodaran,
who runs Olappamanna Mana homestay at Vellinezhi, it was his wish to protect
the heritage that gave him the idea to make it a homestay. Kannur is fast
becoming a favourite of tourists with homestays coming up in the district.
"Theyyam is a major attraction. The fabric made in this region is a hit
among foreign tourists," said Varghese of Tourist Desk, which has homestays
in Kannur (Costa Malabari) and Wayanad ( Pachyderm Palace ). A few players
in the tourism industry feel that it is time for the industry to move
on from Munnar, Thekkady, Kumarakom and the like. New locales have to
be identified and promoted, they say. Contour Holiday Resorts Private
Limited had done exactly that by setting up a jungle resort in Konni in
Pathanamthitta district. "Kerala is rich in natural wealth and the beauty
of the forest cover in the state has not yet been fully utilised by the
tourism industry. Contour has set up a venture in the forest region in
Konni," said Contour Holiday Resorts Private Limited director Prasad Manjali.
Malappandaram tribals take tourists around the forest region and the venture
has the support of the district administration, he said. Contour plans
to explore the beauty of the patch between Alappuzha and Changanassery.
'Contour Backwaters' will be operational next year, he said.
-Oct
1, 2006
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