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Photo: H. Vibhu

The kerala experience Tourists love to see what’s ethnic about the place, like this boat ride

As Kerala celebrates its success on World Tourism Day, September 27, there’s plenty to rejoice but there’s no room for complacency. Perfectly poised the industry stands at a crossroads, overwhelmed by success of the last decade but overcast by a rapidly changing scenario threatening to change the very ethos that brings in the traveller. This is leaving industry insiders with a feeling of unease. So what’s the need of the hour, what are the dangers facing this fragile industry?

An observation from a woman tourist will leave you thinking. Here’s her comment: “The slow boats are becoming fast boats, instead of swaying palms, I am seeing high rises.”

Says Jose Dominic, chairman cghearth, whose hotel group offers unalloyed Kerala experience, “This is happening and it could change the Kerala metaphor into something else. This transition has to be managed well. “

Former Kochi mayor and councillor, KJ Sohan says, “Kerala tourism is mainly about private initiative. But it has to be perfected. What the government must do is to support these efforts.” He gives the example of the homestays which are a fantastic success story. “DTPC grades home stays but it can also have advisory bodies that give free consultancy to them about the preferences of travellers, sensitise them to a different culture. Most holidaymakers want to be left alone. We Indians love to chat and are curious about everything, things that may be interpreted as rude. Such small things make a big difference.”

And it is the small that has become big in Kerala’s success story. Small things that we need to preserve, the slow and the local. “FDI in tourism is happening and it could alter our very ethos. There should be a clear understanding between the stakeholders of the industry that the ingredients of success should be preserved, to import something from outside would be wrong. If we try to make a Goa out of Kerala we face a severe danger. We don’t want Sun City. We don’t want Disneyworld,” says Mr. Dominic. “But the preservation of our hills, lakes and rivers will mean our success.”

Bemoans Swiss tourist Cristelle Hart, doing social work here, about the missing Kerala feel in Fort Kochi, “Over the years all the stores have turned North Indian stores, mostly selling Kashmiri stuff. Tourists come to Kerala for local handicrafts and not for North Indian fare. Besides, this beer being drunk in teacups and the tourism police looking the other way is a farcical policy that spoils any holiday.”

Mr. Sohan draws attention to the fate of the vanishing Chinese nets and apathy towards conserving this ancient symbol of ancient trade. He even points to the lack of proper interpretation of experiences provided. “Let the traveller who drinks tea in London see the unseen hands that pluck the tea leaves, know the rubber tapper’s craft. Even a bunch of bananas hanging gaily on the plant is a wonderful experience for them. These have to be related to human existence for this will comprise the memorable intangibles.”

Joerg Drechsel, Joint secretary Indian Heritage Hotel Association and whose designer hotel, The Malabar House was voted as the best boutique hotel in Asia by Time Magazine says, “We have ten heritage hotels in Kerala that reflect the character and culture of the land. We are developing heritage tourism as heritage is not only in buildings but also in Ayurveda and houseboats.” The risk with FDI according to him is to be countered with compliance to role models already set in the State by aesthetically and sensitively done hotels. “Kerala tourism is on a brilliant agenda for the future for fully endorsing responsible tourism, RT being ecology, sustainability and social responsibility.”

But the glaring gaps in the different departments of the government may just ruin an industry that’s bringing foreign exchange, health and happiness to the State.

Poor roads, garbage and chickungunya are not exactly a tourist’s delight. The official response is often always to pass the buck and so as this industry haplessly watches the potholed roads that ferry the travellers, the garbage that raises a stink, the mosquitoes to which the hosts fall and guests stay away, Mr. Dominic cynically says, “Let not the obituary of Kerala tourism be that it died on account of the humble garbage.” The need of the hour then is to sustain the happy times.

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