Thiruvananthapuram: Owing to the newly developed preferences of tourists post covid, Kerala Tourism’s has launched “Caravan Tourism”, designed on a PPP model. This is expected to come as an aid to its ailing tourism economy. The main stakeholders will be the private investors, tour operators, and local communities.
The State Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas said that the Caravan Tourism policy will provide incentives to purchase caravans and build caravan parks, mainly through the private sector. The caravan operators would be given investment subsidies.
The product envisages two main components, Tourism Caravans and Caravan Park.
The Tourism Caravans would be specially built vehicles for travelling, and staying in, for two or four members with facilities such as sofa-cum-bed, kitchenette with fridge, microwave oven, toilet cubicle, air-conditioner, internet connectivity, charging system and GPS. They would preferably be Bharat Stage VI compliant vehicles with real-time IT-enabled monitoring.
The Caravan parks would be specifically designated places for parking the caravans for a day or more for tourists to explore the area. The parks would have security features like compound walls, patrolling and surveillance cameras, and others.
The Park Authorities would maintain effective coordination with local authorities and medical facilities for any medical emergencies
The parks, located strategically, would be on a minimum land of 50 cents with a minimum of 5 parking bays. They will have Tourist Facilitation centres, space for recreation and a forecourt, a drive-in area, and turning circles.
Caravan Tourism will benefit the local communities by promoting eco-friendly practices and providing a market for local products. It will explore many new sites and promote established destinations, said V. Venu, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism.
IANS
