Kerala Tourism

Kerala is among the 50 must see destinations suggested by the National Geographic Magazine.

Tourism is a global phenomenon. It is an expression of man's natural instinct to move from one place to another and to appreciate the handiwork of the Great Creative Original Artist !

India with her naturally beautiful lakes, backwaters, beaches, hills and forests is one of the best tourist attractions in the world. If a tourist wants trekking and mountaineering, which mountains in the world can compete with the Himalayas ? If he wants exposure to the sea and the sun, where else would he find thousands of miles of virgin beaches against the background of swaying coconut palms ? If he wants to visit ancient ruins or sites, which country can match the monuments of the Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Muslim, Sikh and Christian faiths ? If he wants to move far from the Madding Crowd, away from modern Civilization, where else can he find such natural beauties like the Andamans with their thick rain forest and the Lakshadweep islands with their sparkling clear waters ? If he wants to study and research Ayurveda and Yoga, where else can be find Ayurvedic and Yogic retreats run by bona fide Yogis and Ayurvedic Doctors ?



Kerala and Kashmir are two outstanding states known for their intrinsic natural beauty. While Kashmir resembles the beauty of a cine actress, Kerala on the other hand resembles an aristocratic damsel. Strategically located at the South Western tip of India, Kerala has unique geographic features which make her one of the most sought after tourist destination spots in Asia. This puny state is a breathtakingly ravishing greenland. Excellent investment opportunities in Tourism Industry is bestowed by this state with her natural endowments like tranquil beaches, exhilarating hill stations, soothing backwaters, spectacular art forms , historic monuments, rejuvenating health packages, year round festivals & exotic wildlife. The tourist is enriched by a unique experience, having tasted a strikingly beautiful land as the Lord made it, and this enchants him throughout his life.

Kochi, the Queen of the Arabian Sea, will be donning the robe of the industrial hub of South India, in terms of development & infrastructure, within a couple of years. . IT, BT, Service Sector Companies & owners of hotels & resorts will make a beeline for space in this city and she will become the home of thousands of well trained professionals.

An investment of almost 30000 crores is in the offing with 20000 crores coming from the Central Government and this investment will favour IT, BT, Eductiona and Tourism sectors. Here are some projects in the pipeline

GAIL Petro Project 7000 crores, ICTT, Vallarpadam 2118

Petronet LNG 2200, KRL Single Buoy Mooring

KRL- BPCL City Gasification, Subsea Pipeline, Kochi Kayamkulam NTPC Phase, Boating Marina, Internaltional Bunkering Terminal

Real Estate & Hangar Expansion of CIAL, Smart City, Fashion City


Kumbalangi - Declared by the State Govt as the Model Tourism Village


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Tourists do not complain about the lack of infrastructure. On the other hand the absence of such facilities such as phone, TV, AC etc is the USP of Kerala. Nature in her pristine purity is preserved and it is upto the tourist traveller to enjoy it. Does not Naturopathy advocate living in harmony with Nature ? Modern Civilization has moved away from Nature, with its emphasis on Fast food and the Digital Era. " Back to the Wisdom of Nature" seems to be the motto of Kerala. Does not Kerala echo Wordsworth ? ( " Nature never did betray the heart that loved her " ! )

The modern term luxury means ' opulence of the built up space " but should be redefined as the ' enriching quality of the experience '. If one can commune with Nature at her original best, cant that experience be called " luxury"? Wordsworth, a Nature lover, remarked

With bliss ineffable, I felt

The sentiment of Being spread around

Over all that liveth and all that moveth still !

Such Cosmic Consciousness is possible only in a Nature blessed land !

Tourists enjoying in a House Boat

Innovations in Tourism like Farm Tourism & Monsoon Tourism have paid rich dividends. The success in Farm Tourism was illustrated by Philip Kutty’s example – the entire rural landscape is transformed by its adaptations. The erstwhile poachers of the Periyar Tiger Reserve have changed into guides . Tourism has reinvigorated and put new life into a rather dolorific rural & agri economy. Farm stays, home stays & tourist visits are increasing, thus transforming the state's core sector

Kerala, despite her economic backwardness, is the most egalitarian & literate state. To quote Burton Stein, ‘Not only did Kerala launch an exemplary land reform programme, but it also devoted relatively large expenditures to basic education and health care, making the state the most egalitarian, best educated and healthiest in the Indian Union, though it remained among the poorest.’ National Geographic defined Kerala as a ‘Mount Everest of social development’ and a must see in a life time destination ! Lack of industrial infrastructure may have drawn criticism from many quarters. But it has saved Kerala from pollution and the modern fast food culture and made her achieve much in the social sector and get a relatively pristine environment, which has made a her a powerful must see in the tourist map of Incredible India !




The agri sector is reinvigorated by the surging demand for organic food, especially with the tourism inducted markets. Kerala's agri & knowledge base, based more or less in Ayurveda & Naturopathy, enable her to emerge as one of the largest producers of organic foods, including spices, rice and tropical fruits.

Statistical Research carried out by Peter Aderhold revealed that there are two types of travelles. The ' Sun-Sand-Surf"(SSS) and the other the " Alert Independent Traveller "(AIT). While SSS is the mass market and AIT the newly emerging niche, AIT is the rising star, according to the latest research.

The SSS category traveller will prefer Goa with her beaches while the AIT will favour "God's Own Country", Kerala !




Kochi International Airport ( http://www.cochin-airport.com/ ) is located in Nedumbassery - approx 29 Km from the city. There are flights to and from Colombo, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Sharjah, Jeddah, Muscate, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Take a prepaid taxi to your destination


Some E Tourism Resources

http://www.incredibleindia.org

http://www.exploreruralindia.com/ ( with United Nations Development Programme Resources )