Tour operators in Kerala have teamed up to create the consortium, Association of Tourism Trade Organisations India (ATTOI), to sell an unprecedented 500 packages for visitors to the state. The packages, called Navaratana Experiessential Holidays, will offer nine days of experiences in Kerala, including an insight into village life, community interactions and promotion of sustainable tourism practices. The first phase of packages by ATTOI, targeted at foreign tourists, was launched by Kerala Tourism Minister A P Anilkumar.
Tourists will be able to launch their holidays by breaking a coconut at a temple, a traditional method in Kerala of making an auspicious beginning. They can also travel in boats on the state’s lakes and rivers with the local people, and have lunch with a Syrian Christian Orthodox family of central Kerala.
“The public-private partnership in our state’s tourism sector has been demonstrating to the world the huge benefits in working together. The new alliance of tour operators in Kerala is yet another example of the commitment to promote tourism and contribute to the growth of all sections of the society. The initiative also underlines the determination to continue to serve our esteemed guests from all over the world and present them with life-changing experiences in our state,” said Anilkumar.
“The state government’s plan allocation to the tourism fund has been increased from Rs 100 Crores to Rs 225 Crores in the course of five years. This will be further increased in the coming budget session,” he added.
“It is not only a product updating for Kerala, coming out of the same old repeated itineraries and products, but a step that will help rebrand Kerala as a “new destination” and overcome competition from other destinations,” the Minister added.
Jyothilal, secretary, Kerala Tourism said, “Coming out of the comforts of the hotel room and car and to taking a plunge into the Kerala life is the motto of the new packages. The new campaign currently covers places in Southern Kerala. We will further include destinations in Northern Kerala as well.”
“The Navaratana ‘Experiessential’ Holidays is going to redefine the way we see Kerala with 99 unique experiences in nine days,” said Anish Kumar P K.
A tour of the Muziris heritage project reviving Kerala’s more than two-millennia-old trade and cultural ties with the rest of the world will be another attraction of the packages. The packages will also include insights into the state’s tradition of Ayurveda and full body massages. Jungle boat safari, backwater cruises on houseboats and tea factory visits will be other highlights.
