Next time you visit the Venice of the East, cruising in a houseboat on the backwaters is not the only quintessential experience you would be enjoying during the trip. The Tourism Department is all set to launch a host of adventure and activity-based tourism projects in the district with a view to enhancing the tourism experience of holidaymakers and extending their stay.
Malin M., secretary, District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), told The Hindu that the tourism sector was in need of a facelift.
“Most of the tourists visit Alappuzha for experiencing houseboat ride and backwaters. They leave without visiting other places. This is not helping the tourism sector in a great way. Our idea is to tempt the tourists to extend their stay for one more day by offering them a whole lot of adventure and activity-based tourism experiences. ,” Mr. Malin said.
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If things go as planned, the tourists can soon soar through the skies of the Alappuzha beach on a powered paraglider, paddle a canoe or kayak a watercraft in Pulinkunnu and Kainakari, amidst a village walk and enjoying the local cuisine.
“We have already received clearance for commencing paragliding on the beach. The experimental flying will be carried out on November 11. The project is being implemented in association with the Meghalaya Paragliding Association,” Mr. Malin added. Besides, the DTPC will start two speedboat services doting tourist destinations of Alappuzha-Pathiramanal-R-Block-Kumarakom- Vattakayal among other places. A six-seater boat has already arrived and another ten-seater boat would be handed over to the DTPC in the coming days. Hourly and daily packages will be offered to tourists who want cruise in the speeding boats.
The plans are afoot to start the Alappuzha-Kollam boat service through Kayamkulam Kayal offering sightseers an opportunity to visit Kumarakodi, the final resting place of Mahakavi Kumaran Asan, Karumady and experience village life.
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A meeting of the DTPC held here on Tuesday decided to conduct a beach festival at Alappuzha Beach from December 27 to January 2, 2018.
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In a bid to end exploitation of tourists by middlemen, the Tourism Department will install CCTV cameras in major locations in Alappuzha town and other tourist destinations.
It will also buy a mobile sewage suction unit, which will help suck and discharge the sludge from the tank of houseboats, without boat being moved to the treatment plant.