Saturday 4 May 2013

A shot in the arm for recreational tourism

Kerala Tourism has started benefiting from surfing and wave riding, now a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide. The country’s first ever national three-day Surfing and Stand up Paddle competition that commenced in Kovalam on Friday is a shot in arm for Kerala Tourism’s effort over the years to tap the huge potential for recreational tourism.
Over 100 surfers from within the country and abroad are taking part in the competition and the event has been billed as a great way to commence Surf tourism.
Tourists arriving at the famed beach resort over the last two years had been looking forward to surfing, wave riding, scuba diving, snorkelling, boating and water skiing.

Artificial reef

The host of water sports had been made possible with commissioning of a multipurpose artificial soft reef off the Light House. Installed between the Light House and the Edakkal rocks, the reef has protected the eroding coast and had made Kovalam a round-the-year surfing destination. Since then, the reef had been able to stabilise the beaches and make them wider by eliminating the wave power offshore. Tourists are also getting sheltered swimming.
The Rs.7.8-crore project, funded under the Centre’s tsunami rehabilitation programme, was executed by the New-Zealand-based Artificial Surfing Reef Ltd. through the Department of Harbour Engineering for Kerala Tourism.  

Visa on arrival

With Tourist Visa on Arrival soon to be launched at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, the tourism authorities are hoping to prevent the movement of surfers from Kovalam to adjoining Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Besides, Kovalam will get free publicity and the tourism authorities can now market it as a surfing destination around the world.

Goa tourism department bans drinking on beaches

The Department of Tourism in Goa has banned drinking and carrying of liquor bottles on beaches in the state. Goa's image has taken a beating recently, largely due to a spate of crimes against foreign tourists, rising prices and its overcrowded beaches.

The Director of Tourism Department in Goa, Nikhil Desai, said they took the decision to ban consumption of liquor on beaches to make tourists feel safer.

"Now, if people want to come to Goa, they are our guests, we will welcome them. Let them have drink in shacks or inhotels or any other licensed premises, which is perfectly legal, and let them behave responsibly so that Goa continues to remain beautiful not only for them, but for other tourists and other stakeholders who are part of this industry," said Desai in Panaji.

Tens of thousands of tourists visit Goa to enjoy its sun kissed beaches, which are also famous for night-long parties. The tourism department has also asked the state police to increase patrolling to prevent the tourists from breaking glass bottles on the beaches.

The President of All Goa Liquor Traders Association, Dattaprasad Naik, however, said the ban would affect liquor traders and sales.

Goa attracts over 2.6 million tourists annually. The surf, sun and cheap liquor are some of the main draws of the state, which is one of the top beach tourism destinations in the country.