Kerala Tourism’s initiative to rope in transgenders as tourism resource persons to promote the destination at the grass-roots level and organise tourism grama sabhas has received tepid response with only 10 candidates applying in the 14 districts.
No previous experience is needed for those from the transgender community and the differently abled to become a tourism resource person. Relaxation in educational qualifications have also been given.
However, tourism officials are keeping their fingers crossed as more than a third of the aspirants from the community have resigned after receiving postings in the Kochi Metro.
“We will be giving one more opportunity for the marginalised community as a further drop is anticipated after the five ongoing regional-level training programmes for the 750 selected tourism resource persons for the State,” A. Rupesh Kumar, State RT Mission coordinator, told The Hindu .
He said the move was part of the State Tourism Policy 2017 that envisioned active participation of the differently abled and transgenders in promoting tourism. The resource persons had to play a major role at the grass-roots level to achieve the target of 100% increase in arrival of foreign tourists and 50% in domestic tourists by 2022.
The differently abled
“However, 38 differently abled people have applied for the 28 posts reserved for them. The overwhelming response from general citizens has surprised the authorities as 2,900 have applied for the 750 posts. Even, those with doctorate are on the list and undergoing training even though it is not a permanent job. In phase II, another 250 resource persons will be recruited.”
The tourism resource persons would be tasked to convene 1,000 tourism grama sabhas being planned in the coming days.
