Trivandrum: Kerala has bagged the prestigious Global Responsible Tourism Award 2023, in a major endorsement of the sustainable and women-inclusive initiatives successfully promoted by the state’s Responsible Tourism Mission (RTM).
The award is instituted by Responsible Tourism Partnership and International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT), in the Best for Local Sourcing, Food and Craft category. London-based organisers selected Kerala RTM as a joint winner along with Eswatini, a landlocked country in Southern Africa.
The State RT Mission was selected for the award, the most valued honour being given for sustainable and inclusive tourism initiatives, for linking women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to tourism activities and ensuring effective marketing of indigenous products.
“This international award reflects the universal appeal of the responsible tourism projects that Kerala has successfully implemented, thereby setting a viable model for the rest of India as well as other countries,” Tourism Minister, Shri P A Mohamed Riyas said. “The crux of this model is that it helps conserve nature and tangible and intangible heritage while bringing substantial benefits to local communities.”
Kerala RT Mission has been implementing a women-friendly tourism project in the state with the support of UN Women, the UN organisation dedicated to gender equality and women empowerment.
This is the second time Kerala RTM is getting the Responsible Tourism Global Award after its Water STREET project implemented in Maravanthuruthu in Kottayam district notching up the honour last year. With this award, RTM registered a hat-trick this year as it had earlier got two other prestigious awards – the ‘Gold’ award by the Government of India and the ‘Gold’ award of ICRT.
The award jury recognised the work of the RTM in promoting the ethnic and traditional foods of each locality through tourism, providing authentic local food experiences enjoyed in local homes for tourists, besides generating additional income for the local communities.
RTM’s major activities like woman-friendly tourism projects, experiencing ethnic cuisine projects, experiential tourism packages, marketing of products including local handicrafts, training for the local community and other projects being implemented in association with local self-government institutions were considered for the award.
The Global Responsible Tourism Awards, which cater to Africa, India and Latin America regions, were given in six categories.