Kerala Tourism to Pilot ‘Ethnic Villages’ Project in Idukki

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Soon, tourists coming to Kerala can have a hands-on feel of the state’s ethnic culture without barging into the real living spaces of ethnic communities or disturbing their life and ecosystem, thanks to a novel initiative of Kerala Tourism.

Titled ‘Ethnic Villages’, the project will be piloted in Idukki district jointly by the state’s Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission and the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC).

It envisages to create an ethnic village on two acres of land of DTPC, where the traditional art forms, cuisine, and handicrafts and other cultural expressions of Kerala’s various tribal communities belonging to the category of Scheduled Tribes (ST) will be showcased.

The state government has given administrative sanction of Rs 1,27,60,346 for the first phase of the two-phase project.

“This novel initiative will present before the world the unique features of Kerala’s ethnic culture,” Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas said.

Apart from enabling the visitors to have a hands-on feel of the state’s diverse ethnic culture the project will also help conserve the lifestyle, ecosystem and heritage of ethnic communities,Riyas added.

The ‘ethnic village’ will have accommodations modeled on the tribal houses with modern amenities, envisaged as a gated property with two sections – tourism activity zone and accommodation zone.