The awards were received by Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission (KRTM) Society CEO K Rupeshkumar, Kadalundi Grama Panchayat President Anusha V V and Kumarakom Grama Panchayat President Smt Dhanya Sabu.The KRTM Society has implemented a slew of initiatives as part of its STREET (Sustainable Tangible Responsible Experiential Ethnic Tourism) project at Kadalundi in Kozhikode district in collaboration with the Grama Panchayat.The famed backwater destination Kumarakom in Kottayam district, adjudged as the Best Agri Tourism Village, has been turned into a major farm-tourism destination through the schemes initiated by KRTM in partnership with the village panchayat.“These awards clearly acknowledge that Kerala has set a successful model before the entire nation on how tourism is to be promoted by complying to sustainable and inclusive goals, which have become all the more relevant now,” said Kerala tourism minister P A Mohamed Riyas, patting KRTM for its dedicated work.“Kerala won these awards due to meticulous planning and focussed implementation of the schemes by the Tourism Department and the RT Mission Society with the active participation of the local community,” said tourism secretary K Biju.“The RT projects have contributed immensely to the growth of tourism in Kerala ever since its launch over two decades back. We are living in a world where the relevance of this model is vital as its emphasis is on evolving responsible, ethical and inclusive development models,” said tourism director Sikha Surendran.The RT initiatives in Kadalundi are being implemented as part of the comprehensive tourism project planned around Beypore.A number of schemes to turn the area into a major Green Destination have been implemented at Kadalundi, which is one of the 10 STREET destinations across the state.STREET aims at participatory tourism development based on the UNWTO’s motto, ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’ by developing destinations into theme-based streets and widening the area of tourism activities so as to reduce the tourist concentration in the main points.The projects were conceived and implemented with the participation of the local community, starting with the convening of the ‘special tourism grama sabha.’ This was followed by an awareness campaign, resource mapping, preparation of a resource directory and formulation of village life experience packages.
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