The Kerala state government will come out with its tourism policy after a meeting with all stakeholders, as part of its 100-day programme, Minister for Tourism A.P. Anil Kumar has said.
In this, the government will take into account the hassles faced by homestay owners and other prominent players in the tourism sector. Steps will be taken to solve the problems faced by the homestay owners due to the lack of proper inter-departmental coordination.
The Minister was speaking at the third State-level meeting of Kerala Homestay and Tourism Society (Kerala HATS) here on Saturday. Mr. Anil Kumar said that tourists preferred homestays because of the unique experience offered by them - getting to know the host's hospitality, food, and the land's culture first hand.
The previous year saw 7.5 lakh foreign and 85 lakh domestic tourists visiting the State. “We should be able to sustain the level of interest in different destinations, since many other States and even nearby countries such as Sri Lanka are offering tough competition. This does not mean that Kerala Tourism will open up the State so that it becomes like Goa and Sri Lanka.
Even while welcoming tourists, steps would be taken to retain Kerala's identity and the core values of the people. Otherwise, tourism would pave the way for cultural degradation.” He said that apart from good roads, tourism destinations need eco-friendly garbage treatment facilities as well. “We are planning a clean-up drive soon in Kovalam and Alappuzha,” he said.
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