Trivandrum: Tourism Minister, Shri P A Mohamed Riyas today launched the Kerala Agri Tourism Network – Farm Tourism as a major initiative of the globally-acclaimed Responsible Tourism project of Kerala to ensure monetary benefits to the agricultural community by linking farming activities with tourism.
The Minister also inaugurated a state-level training programme to create trained manpower to strengthen farm tourism and impart an added impetus to the tourism sector in the post-Covid phase.
“Kerala Tourism will be teaming up with local self-government institutions across the state to identify 500 new destinations in five years. The Responsible Tourism Mission has a key role in achieving this target. Tourism projects of Kerala are largely meant to bring benefits to local communities. The Department of Tourism is striving to tap the tourism possibilities of the entire state,” the Minister said.
Transport Minister, Shri Antony Raju, who presided over the function, said that RT had successfully created both professional and financial progress of large sections of people. This project will help the new generation and foreign tourists to know about Kerala’s farming culture. “Tourism can address the unemployment problem in the state to an extent. Kerala Tourism and Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) together have planned certain projects and they will be announced soon.”
The Agri Tourism Network-Farm Tourism will function on the basis of UNWTO’s Declaration that sees a future in responsible tourism that emphasizes the experiential aspect of tour and travel.
Under the network, authorities will set up 500 farm tourism units and 5,000 homestay farms (integrated agriculture units in the compounds of houses) by March 31, 2023. Agriculture and tourism activities will be blended in a way that would not harm farming practices.
As many as 680 people have registered under the RT Mission’s training programme. Those farms run by units that complete the training successfully will qualify for RT packages.
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