Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Kerala backwaters in august company Tourism Trail

Going places: A file photo of the backwaters at Pozhikkara, near Thiruvallom, in Thiruvananthapuram. These water systems of Kerala have been earning the State wealth and fame through tourism.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The backwaters of Kerala, which is a world of serenity and wonderment, has fetched God’s Own Country a place on the National Geographic Traveler’s list of 133 world’s greatest places.

The listing has come as a shot in the arm for the tourism industry of the State, reeling under the impact of the recession in many western countries and the recent boat tragedy in Thekkady.

Among the tourist destinations in the country, only Kerala, Rajasthan and Agra figure on the list . Kerala has stolen a place above Agra’s, though that city hosts three iconic world heritage sites of Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.

The magazine has listed Rajasthan as the 19th best, Kerala backwaters as 23rd and Agra as 30th, based on the sixth annual survey of destination stewardship conducted by the National Geographic Society’s Centre for Sustainable Destinations.

This is the second time that Kerala has been featured in the magazine. In October 1999, National Geographic Traveler showcased Kerala as one of the 10 most beautiful paradises found on earth and recommended it for the tour of a lifetime. This led to an unparalleled surge of tourists from both from within the country and abroad. Now, Kerala is a world-class tourist destination.

The elated stakeholders of the tourism industry feel that the listing has come as a morale booster, resulting in further tourist arrivals. The results of the survey have been published in the latest issue of the magazine. A total of 437 experts made up the panel for the survey.

The survey is an assessment of authenticity and stewardship, evaluating the qualities that make a destination unique and measuring its ‘integrity of place,’ the magazine says. The evaluation uses the customary six criteria — environmental and ecological quality; social and cultural integrity; condition of historic buildings and archaeological sites; aesthetic appeal; quality of tourism management; and outlook for the future.

The “lakes, rivers, and canals in this South Indian State, where visitors ply aboard houseboats, present a unique travel and cultural experience,” the survey notes and then sounds a word of caution to the tourism authorities of the State, “[T]he number of boats is now so large” that environmental degradation is feared.

“Some new resorts and reed houseboats try to reflect traditional styles, and it is possible to have a very relaxing vacation away from more noisy places on the canal system,” one of the panellist says.

Another refers the backwaters as “one of South India’s well-kept secrets.” Sometimes, organised tours give the impression of being a little voyeuristic, taking away the privacy of the people living around the backwaters.

Over 900 km of the Kerala backwaters are navigable and have been used for centuries for transport. Tourists can travel on these waterways on a traditional houseboat and enjoy the scenic beauty of the backwaters and the rustic life.

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