The District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) is planning to implement more security measures and tourism amenities in less known tourism spots mostly visited by off-beat travellers.
Idukki has the largest number of less known tourism places being visited by tourists from outside the district on festival season and holidays. Talking to The Hindu, DTPC secretary M. Rajesh said that in forest areas making arrangements for tourists including security measures should get the approval of the Forest Department and a meeting will be held soon to focus the issue. He also said that in forest land, Vana Samrakshana Samithies (VSS) are functioning and provide guidance to the visitors. He said that at Thommankuthu, a tourism place most of the visitors arrive on holidays, VSS provides all help. Since the place, attracted for its waterfalls, is also prone to accidents, a protection wall had been built, he said.
The work on two major tourism projects at Wagamon will be startetd soon as all official-level and technical clearance has been received. The projects are a Rs 2.80 crore tourism complex having accommodation facility and a restaurant at Society Kavala and a Rs 15 lakh toilet station on the grassland area. As the number of tourists being visited in Wagamon is considered it is a fast growing tourist destination, Mr. Rajesh said and added that in many developing tourist destinations, lack of facilities are hindering the development and there are many such less known tourism destinations getting publicity outside the State also.
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Construction of protection wall has launched at Parunthumpara, another tourism spot near Kuttikanaam and the DTPC will take similar initiatives in other places with the help of local bodies. The boat tragedy at Thekkady in which 45 people had died and two persons of a 12-member group who were killed when lightning struck on them this week at Elaveezhapunchira will have an impact on the arrival of visitors. Mr. Rajesh said that though, Elaveezhapunjira does not belong to the district, many tourism destinations in the district, have similar features in the topography and the two accidents happened in the starting month of tourist season is likely to affect the arrival of tourists.
According to the member of a non-governmental agency providing information and support to tourists at Ramakkalmedu, the accident-prone areas in each tourist spot have to be identified and tourists should not be allowed entry there. Details of these areas should be noticed to the tourists as they are unfamiliar with the area and most of them arrive for the first time. A complete documentation of accident-prone tourist spots, guidance to the visitors and setting up of sign boards are needed as the less known tourism spots mostly are in the non-inhabited zone, he said.