Kerala : A Must Visit Destination-00-5667

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The State of Kerala is situated at the southwestern tip of India and is bounded by Tamil Nadu in the east and southeast and by Karnataka in the north. It is spread over a total area of 38,863 sq kms. (1.18% of the total area of India) As per census -2001 Kerala's population is 31.84 million and has a

population density of 819 persons per sq. km. Literacy rate is highest in Kerala with 90.92 %.

Until the early 1980s, Kerala was a hitherto unknown destination, with most tourism circuits concentrated around the north of the country. Aggressive marketing campaigns launched by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation— the government agency that oversees tourism prospects of the State—laid the foundation of the growth of the tourism industry. In the decades that followed, Kerala Tourism was able to transform itself into one of the niche holiday destinations in India. The tag line God's Own Country, which was used in its tourism promotions, soon became synonymous with the State. Today, Kerala Tourism is a global super brand and regarded as one of the destinations with the highest brand recall. ...
... The state's tourism agenda promotes ecological sustained tourism, which focuses on the local culture,

wilderness adventures, volunteering and personal growth of the local population. Efforts are taken to minimize the adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people

Kerala's principal tourism products fall into six categories: (1) heritage/ cultural/religious sites & events, (2) backwaters, (3) beaches, (4) hill stations, (5) wild life sanctuaries and (6) ayurveda, with the common cord of green environs harmonising them all together to form a Green Symphony.

The term Eco tourism encompasses a whole lot of thing. For the starter it means visiting all those regions that exude a striking richness in their culture and nature. Moreover, eco tourism also implies being sensitive to one's surroundings and customs. Eco Tourism means opening up different places for visit and in process generate employment and business. Kerala is a very small part of India, nonetheless, its richness, both in terms of nature and culture is widely known, accepted and appreciated. The greenery that abounds Kerala is not only relaxing but also refreshing. There is no other better way to revive your spirited self than to roam around in the green patches of Kerala. The Western Ghats that borders Kerala on its eastern side has been declared as one of the 25 spots in the world that despite covering a meagre 1.4% of the land surface provide shelter to 60% of the world's plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species.

Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks - The Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks of Kerala cover a considerable portion of the state. These Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks provide shelter to a number of endangered as well as rare species of wild animals and birds. So, there is the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary housing a large number of Tigers and Elephants, the Kumarakom and Thekkady Sanctuary attracting a number of local and migratory species of birds and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary giving excellent shelter to the endangered Giant Grizzled Squirrel. A visit to these Wildlife Sanctuary and National Parks will allow you to watch the other inhabitants of the earth leading a life diametrically different from ours. Moreover, some of these parks and sanctuaries are still the residence of the tribal people.

If wildlife dominates mostly the eastern side of Kerala, then the beaches hold their own on the western part of the state. Flanked by the Arabian Sea, the western part of the state has a number of beaches that are a delight for the lover of eco tourism.

Kerala Backwaters, the undisputable king of all the tourists' attraction in the state, is a network of rivers, canals, lagoons. The backwaters of Kerala meander unhurriedly through paddy fields, remote hamlets and plantations. Important Backwater destinations include Alappuzha, Kozhikode, Kollam, Kochi etc.

Plantation visit in Kerala include a trip to the tea, rubber and spice plantations. Initially, these plantations were not open for tourist visit, nevertheless, today they make for an excellent tourists destination. Stay in a plantation farmhouse, interact with people working at the plantation, venture out for a nature walk, spot cute little animals appear from almost nowhere and run right in front of you and gaze the birds as they fly over your head giving you a gentle feeling of being free after a long

time.

Hill Stations of Kerala are abode of natural beauty par excellence. Important hill stations of Kerala include Munnar, Ponmudi, Idukki, Wayanad etc.

Eco Resorts are fast gaining popularity amongst eco tourists for the simple reason that they allow to get close to the nature while enjoying the luxuries of a star category resort.

National Geographic Traveller selected Kerala as ‘one of the 50 must see destinations a lifetime' It has emerged as one of the most acclaimed destinations of the country with its most attractive beaches, such as Kovalam, Varkal, Marari, Bekal and Kannur. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Eravikulam

National Park's Thatekkad Bird Sanctuary and Perambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary are well known.

Health tourism has been one of the strongest growth sectors over the years, which has attracted attention as the home of Ayurvedic Medicine. The state is rich in terms of its traditional cultural heritage. Koodiyattom one of the oldest folk art forms of Kerala only surviving ancient Sanskrit drama has been selected by UNESCO for proclamation as an oral and intangible heritage.

Kerala Kalamandalam in Thrissur District is internationally acclaimed dance and arts institution of the Country.

Temple/pilgrimage tourism (Guruvayoor, Thiruvananthapuram, etc.) contributes to a dominating share of the domestic tourist traffic.

Among foreign tourists, heritage sites, cultural events, palaces and museums (in and around Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram in particular) form the principal attractions, followed by the Kovalam beach, various backwater tourist spots and the Periyar Tiger Reserve at Thekkady.

Kerala has a comprehensive network of roads with a total length of 1,25,835 km which accounts for 4.13 % of total road length in the country. The National Highways passing through the State are NH-47, NH-17, NH-49, NH-47A, NH-208, NH-212, NH-213, and NH-220. The two railway divisions in the State are Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad under the control of Southern Railway that provides a good railway network connecting all major cities of the Country. Kerala has many interlinking backwater channels which are used for inland water transport for both local passengers and tourists, Kerala is the only

State in India which has three international airports-Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozikode.

In terms of telecommunication Kerala is one of the two locations in India where both the optic fibre submarine cables SEA-ME-WE-3 and SAFE converge giving super global connectivity at unbelievable low cost.

Tourist accommodation can be of various forms and many of these already exist in Kerala. Some of the important accommodations available are:

Classified Hotels
Resorts including backwater resorts, Ayurvedic resorts etc.
Floating accommodation, i.e., houseboats
Home stays,(Grihasthali scheme Residences/guest houses in plantation areas)
Palace hotels - Former palaces converted to hotels
Apartment hotels - having residential units
Resorts built in heritage style of with kitchenettes for self catering
Time share resorts
Yatri Nivas, youth hostels, guest houses and motels including dorms - inexpensive
Temple guest houses, bhajana mathams, dormitories for pilgrims
Tree top houses as have been developed in Wayanad
Camp grounds - camping sites,
Caravan parks - parking place and facilities for mobile accommodation of motorized

Kerala recorded 7.6 million domestic tourists and 600,00 foreign tourists arrival in the year 2008, according to the Kerala Government tourism statistics.

Keralites, the people of Kerala are friendly and helpful. The local languages is Malayalam - the largest palindrome in the english language. Most people speak English - thanks to high levels of education. Kerala treats their women folk with respect and awe - a result of the the matriarchal society.

Kerala has a rich culture. Classical art forms including the famous Kathakali, rich and colorful festivals like the Onam and unique traditional cuisine await travellers. The ancient system of medicine Ayurveda and Panchakarma, the rejuvenation therapy in Ayurveda are sought after by tourists from all

around the world.

Some of the popular destinations include Kochi, Alappuzha, Kumarakom, Munnar, Thekkady and Wayanad. Must do things in Kerala include stay at a house boat, visit to the hill stations and plantations of Munnar, a rejuination massage at any of the resorts in Kumarakom, and a trek through the jungles in

Thekkady or Silent Valley. For the honeymooners, the back waters provide a remote getaway - serene and blissful. Kerala is becoming a wedding destination too.

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