Kerala Tourism's "Responsible Tourism" model at Kumarakom got the biggest international recognition when it was conferred the top United Nations Award, UNWTO Ulysses Award, for Innovation in Public Policy and Governance. This is the highest honour given by UN to government bodies for shaping global tourism policies through innovative initiatives and is the first time India is figuring on the list of UNWTO Award winners.According to UNWTO Secretary-General, Kerala, a popular ecotourism destination, portrayed responsible and sustainable tourism in an exceptional manner.And this recognition conferred upon the State is a great step towards creating a better understanding among other destinations of the principles UN stand for...
Earlier too, Kerala tourism's Responsible Tourism model at Kumarakom linking the local community to the hospitality industry has won the national award for the best rural tourism project.The Responsible Tourism (RT) initiative, launched in 2008 in Kumarakom, besides Kovalam, Wayanad, and Thekkady, involves the grama panchayat, the Kudumbasree, the District Tourism Promotion Council, the local hospitality industry, and the government departments of Agriculture and Health to achieve sustainable tourism by creating jobs and practising eco-tourism objectives.Beside helping the local business of the local community, the Kumarakom model has also taken initiative for eco-friendly practices of disposing of waste.The Kumarakom project has become successful because of the hard work by all its partners and with the support of esteemed travellers from around the world.