Nearly three months after the region was hit by a devastating flood, the backwater tourism sector is slowly limping back to normality here.
On Friday, the scenic backwaters of Alappuzha played host to a unique rally involving as many as 220 houseboats and 100 shikara boats. Around 3,000 people enjoyed a relaxing ride along the palm-fronded waterways, taking a peek at paddy fields being readied for puncha farming and savouring a delicious meal.
The rally, which commenced from the Punnamada finishing point, toured Kainakary, Kuttamangalam and Muttelthodu before returning. The presence of Indian cricketer Kedar Jadhav added glitter to the event. He flagged off the rally. Terming it a great experience, Kedar said people should enjoy houseboat cruising and traditional cuisine. The mega rally also made it to the record books. The Universal Records Forum, a Kolkata-based organisation, issued a certificate to the organisers of the event terming it the largest boat rally. It was organised under the aegis of the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) and district administration as part of ‘Back to Backwaters’, a programme organised to revitalise the flood-hit tourism sector. A photo exhibition, bike rally, skating and cultural programmes were conducted.
Speaking on the occasion, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the tourism centres in the State had been made fully operational. “The government has prepared a tourism policy and has started implementing it. The arrival of foreign tourists has not been impacted by the deluge but there is a slight decline in the number of domestic tourists visiting the State. “The State government is making necessary interventions to put the tourism sector back on track,” Mr. Surendran said.
