A world class Tourism Centre & its host community

P.G. Padmanabhan & Kence GeorgeyThe Socity for Socially Responsible & Eco

Friendly TourismKumarakom, Keral, India – 686563

• An exploration of the impact of Tourism in a recently developed small village.

KUMARAKOM in Kerala India.

Kumarakom Village – A Backwater Tourism Hub

Host CommunityPopulation > 25,000

Mainly cultivators, fishermen, shell collectors, toddy tapers etc.

Main Tourist Attractions

• Vast sea sized lake Vembanad – a Ramsar site supporting more than 20,000 water fowls, many varieties of tasty fishes

• Bird Sanctuary – Home to 91 species of local & 50 species of migratory birds.

• Mangrove Belt

• Vast Paddy fields below sea level

• Houseboat Cruise

Arrival of Tourism

• 1989 Taj Group started a heritage resort on the bank of the Lake.

• Followed by 14 Big operators

• 9 Medium type Hotels• 100 Houseboats &

Homestay.

Growth of Tourist Arrival at Kumarakom

• 360% in Six Years form 2002

• Occupancy rate – 55% to 85%

Socio Economic Impact

• Land Price – Skyrocketed 20 to 30 fold in 10 years.

• Conversion of agricultural land.

• Land made a commodity in Real Estate market

• Agriculture Production & employment diminished.

Socio Economic Impact

• Agricultural workers & traditional fisher men lost Job.

• Census Figurres for 1990 and 2000 say 432 men & 645 woman lost Job in the agriculture sector.

• Overall labor participation diminished by 1.4%

Employment in Tourism

• 10 to 12 percent of total work force in the village now employed in tourism sector.

Government Intervention

• Tourism (conservation & preservation of areas) Act 2005 – declared Kumarakom a Special Tourism Zone

• A draft guidelines for Tourism industry published, but not implimented.

• Collection of heavy taxes

Tourism Digs Its Own Grave

• Polluting backwaters & neglecting its preservation.

• Denying local people’s participation

People’s Intervention

• People’s charter & guidelines on sustainable tourism for Kumarakom 2002 call for increased participation, economic & social benefits for the host community.

• Initiated the practice of Responsible Tourism.