A delegation from Madhya Pradesh arrive at Maravanthuruth in Kerala to study the STREET tourism project
STREET, Kerala Tourism’s prestigious project that accords much importance to sustainable and inclusive tourism, has been a major success with activities and initiatives being much applauded by people from all over. The STREET project, which stands for Sustainable, Tangible, Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic Tourism, has now caught the eyes of Madhya Pradesh, and the North Indian state is now looking at options to emulate the success.
An official delegation from Madhya Pradesh arrived at the Maravanthuruth Panchayat in Kottayam district to study Kerala’s sustainable and inclusive tourism project. STREET had recently won global accolades at the recent World Travel Market (WTM) in London.
MP team to have a hands-on feel of rural life and culture
STREET, an initiative of Kerala’s path-breaking Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission, has become a template for sustainable and community-oriented tourism initiatives in India and abroad. The team of government officials from Madhya Pradesh has come to learn in detail the activities carried out as part of the project at Maravanthuruth with special emphasis on water conservation. The team will visit the places where the STREET project has been implemented and will have a hands-on feel of rural life and culture.
Madhya Pradesh is the first state to follow the Kerala model of Responsible Tourism. The present visit is based on an MoU signed between Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and Kerala Tourism in 2019.
Kerala RT Mission, State Coordinator, Rupeshkumar K, received the 16-member team which includes six sub-collectors, on its arrival in Kochi. Rupeshkumar who is also the nodal officer of the Kerala-Madhya Pradesh joint RT project. In Maravanthuruth, the team was accorded a rousing reception complete with the traditional ensemble of percussion instruments. Various folk cultural performances including Kolkali led of a women troupe also enthralled the visitors.
Madhya Pradesh first state to follow Kerala’s RT model
Members of the delegation held discussions with the panchayat administrative committee members about the Responsible Tourism activities carried out in the area. The team experienced the Art Street Walk accompanied by Panchavadyam from Koottummel to Moozhikkal and had discussions with members of the Kulasekharamangalam RT club. The officials also kayaked over Water STREET besides seeing a kalarippayattu (martial art) performance at Aymanam Village.
The delegation will visit Chekadi, Thrikkaipetta and Mothakkara in Wayanad district in north Kerala, arranged by the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), before returning to Madhya Pradesh on December 7.