In its unending journey of updating and enhancing itself with the latest trends, Kumbalangi Model Tourism Village joined the league of Responsible Tourism Movement.
As part of the effort the first seminar on Responsible Tourism was held at the Panchayat hall on October 31, 2012. It was conducted by the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS), Village Panchayat and Kumbalangi Model Tourism Development Society (KMTDS).
The Kumbalangi Panchayat was select along with other tourism destinations like Kovalam, Kumarakom, Vythiri, Bekal, Thekkady and Ambalavayal to implement the Responsible Tourism initiative. Kumbalangi also has the distinction of being the first ever model tourism village in the country and later associated with neighboring panchayats of Kumbalam and Chellanam to take up sustainable agri-tourism village project.
According to this initiative, Kumarakom has successfully attempted in creating Responsible Tourism groups and started engaging them in organic farming and poultry. The products obtained from such groups were supplied to tourist projects like hotels and resorts in the village. “We are working on a similar model where residents of Kumbalangi can be encouraged to form groups and engage in organic farming. However, the village does not have enough market in tourism, unlike Kumarakom.
So we are thinking on the lines of entering into agreements with hotels and home stays in Fort Kochi and Mattanchery tourism belt,” said M P Sivadathan, President, KMTDS.
