THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
A Barrier-Free International Kite Festival, organised as part of the Accessible Tourism Initiative (ATI) was inaugurated today in Kovalam. The Department of Tourism and Kerala Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission have joined hands with Helping Hands Organisation (H2O), an NGO working with children with autism and other learning /behavioural differences to organise the event.
The main event of the International Kite Festival will get underway on Sunday and is expected to draw a sizable crowd that would include kite flying enthusiasts and others. As many as 650 participants, including differently-abled individuals, are expected to take part in the festival.
The fest will also see professional representation from UK, US and Malaysia, and national participation from the states of Gujarat, Chandigarh and Karnataka. Planned as a fundraising event, the funds received would be directed towards the work that H2O does.
According to P Balakiran, Director of Tourism, “Accessible Tourism Initiative is high on the Kerala Tourism agenda, and as many as 100 destinations in Kerala will be declared accessible tourism destinations this year”.
Rupesh Kumar K, Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission Coordinator, said “International Kite Festival is the Responsible Tourism Mission’s first step in the accessible tourism initiative.” In addition to the kite festival, the Responsible Tourism Mission, in association with H2O, will also conduct a social audit in a bid to make the State differently-abled- friendly.
