A journey into the picturesque hinterland

Remote villages in Pathanamthitta to be opened for tourists to discover

Published - August 16, 2020 06:14 pm IST

PATHANAMTHITTA

As the State strives hard to get the tourism sector back on its feet, a set of obscure, wooded villages in Pathanamthitta are too getting to work.

Expecting a decisive shift in tourism to domestic holidays in the coming years, the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) here has embarked on a plan to put its idyllic countryside life on the tourism map. The project envisages developing local visitor attractions within the limits of various local self-government institutions through local participation.

The plan focuses on the remote, uncrowded villages, hill tops and vast water bodies of the hinterland for developing activities including trekking, boating and camp fire for tourism groups.

“The district, with a forest cover of over 54 percent of its total area, holds immense potential to develop a slower form of tourism. Once the domestic visitors have discovered this unknown beauty, the international tourists may follow in,” said R.Sreeraj, Secretary, DTPC, Pathanamthitta.

According to him, the implementation of social distancing measures is likely to limit the number of visitors into the traditional hotspots.

“Despite its rich green cover and strong cultural background, the district is known for only a handful of eco-tourism destinations such as Gavi and Adavi and the pilgrimage centres like Sabarimala,” he explained.

The new destinations, which can be developed through establishing some basic infrastructure, will also help the visitors to get a unique experience into the local life of these villages. Further, it also presents a chance for the local populace to evolve as tourism entrepreneurs and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 induced lockdown to an extent.

Under the project, the LSGIs are required to submit proposals to develop the select destinations within their limits. Upon verifying the tourism potential of each spot, the DTPC will select a couple of destinations and based on response, it will be expanded across the district in a phased manner.

Once a destination is selected, locals would be trained in all aspects of tourism and will require to own, manage and run all the activities. They will be also taught to showcase their culture, lifestyle and the natural beauty of their village.

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