MARKETING OF TOURISM WITH SPECIAL
REFERENCE TO ECOTOURISM.
D.Manoj Kumar
Project Executive,
Thenmala Ecotourism Promotion Society (TEPS),
Thenmala, Kollam
District, Kerala, India.
Abstract:
Ecotourism is a travel to relatively undisturbed natural
areas with the specific objective of studying, admiring, and enjoying the
scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as its existing cultural
manifestations found in these areas. Ecotourism is more than just sightseeing.
It is an experience. This experience differs fundamentally to the mass tourism
experience. Disillusionment with mass tourism may have triggered the emergence
of ecotourism. Ecotourism markets are dynamic. The ecotourism operators must
increase the value of their products, and respond to the needs and preferences
of ecotourists. The product-market nexus is the most critical issue affecting
the viability of the ecotourism sector. Without clearly understanding the
markets and understanding them thoroughly, and without then developing products
that will be regarded as the preferred choice for these markets, no ecotourism
business can thrive. The product-market nexus forms the foundation from which a
business plan evolves and is the central feature in the development of
successful marketing tactics. Ecotourism is like all other small businesses:
the likelihood of success is slim. However the failure rate and
under-performance of many existing business can be reduced dramatically if prospective
operators see their venture for what it is. It is a business whose success will
depend on how well it is planned, financed, managed and marketed as a business.
It is not a lifestyle, nor is it a means of getting paid to play. The future
development and, indeed, the future existence of ecotourism relies on the
development of appropriate business skills within this sector. The ecotourism
sector should demonstrate a greater commitment to continuous raising of
standards, if it wishes to maintain its marketing advantage as a sector which
achieves sustainability and offers high quality products. “Green cloaking”,
mismanaged or poorly planned projects and lack of education, are just some of
the obstacles “real” ecotourism must overcome in order to continue to serve its
purpose. Strong leadership, solid foundations and idealistic principles are the
need of the hour for proper development and marketing of ecotourism products.
We need to recommit to the promise of ecotourism so that future generations can
enjoy sustainable tourism experiences which produce sound economic, social and
environmental outcomes. The general statement that ecotourism should only fall
towards the active and hard end of the continuum and contribute to the health
and viability of the natural attractions upon which it is based is an appealing
one. However, these aspirations appear to be unattainable in many situations,
and possibly incompatible with the dominant market behaviors and expectations.
The value of the ecotourism concept has been diluted through its popularity. It
is certainly an attractive label that has been rapidly adopted by many
operators and nations because it expresses ideals that are attractive to the
market place. In many cases ecotourism has become nothing more than a marketing
gimmick which dresses up existing tourist attractions in an attempt to increase
market share. Irrespective of the marketing of the term, it is now clear that
ecotourism is not a panacea that always both protects the environment and
supports economic activity. The natural environment is complex and dynamic, and
the invention of a concept does not provide an automatic answer to the problems
caused by humans visiting it. The widespread adoption of the terms
‘conservation’ and ‘sustainability’ have not solved the planets environmental
problems. Neither will the concept of ecotourism. However it is important to
remember that the goal of ecotourism is a sound and worthy one. Just because it
is difficult to achieve in practice does not mean that the concept is flawed.
Rather, it may be a reflection of the relative immunity of the tourism
management field and the difficulty of the task. This does not negate the worth
of the ecotourism concept. The marketing of the ecotourism products shall be
well planned unlike mass tourism products.
This paper, therefore,
highlights the:
1) evolution of
ecotourism destinations and products in Kerala,
2) selected ecotourism
case studies,
3) challenges faced in
marketing the ecotourism products in Kerala over the last decade, and
4) a way forward.
Key
words:
Tourism, Ecotourism, Marketing, Nature
based, Local community, Environment, Sustainable, Education, Interpretation,
Accreditation, destination, Products.
1.
INTRODUCTION:
Tourism has experienced
continued growth and deepening diversification to become one of the fastest
growing economic sectors in the world. Modern tourism is closely linked to
development and encompasses a growing number of new destinations. These
dynamics have turned tourism into a key driver for socio-economic progress. In
2017 the international tourist arrivals grew by 7% to 1,323 million and
generated US$ 1.6 trillion in export earnings. UNWTO forecasts a growth in
international tourist arrivals of between 4% and 5% in 2018 and to reach 1.8
billion by 2030.
American Marketing Association defines Marketing as "the activity, set of institutions,
and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings
that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”
Tourism as an economic development tool.
Service marketing is the process of
making an intangible product into an experience that the customer will value,
or benefit from. The four fundamental principles of marketing are product,
price, place and promotion. Because of the intangible aspect of services, an
additional three principles people, process, and physical evidence have been added
to the marketing mix. Selling the interpersonal exchange that takes place
within the service is a key principle in service marketing.
2.
ECOTOURISM
Ecotourism is a travel
to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the specific objective of
studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals,
as well as its existing cultural manifestations found in these areas.
Ecotourism grew out of
the global environmental movement in the late 1970s. While the development and
growth of ecotourism took various paths in different parts of the world, by the early 1990s, ecotourism, along with nature-based, cultural, heritage and
adventure tourism, had become among the fastest growing sectors of the tourism
industry worldwide. More recently, ecotourism has helped to spawn a variety of
new terms, such as sustainable tourism, pro-poor tourism, and responsible
tourism, all of which encompass the concept that tourism can and should benefit
conservation and host communities. An important trend within the development of
sustainable tourism is initiatives to mainstream sustainability within travel and tourism, by taking the principles and
good practices of ecotourism and applying them to wider swath of the market,
e.g. hotel chains, urban tourist attractions, ski resorts, golf courses, and
beach resorts.
Ecotourism markets are
dynamic. The ecotourism operators must increase the value of their products,
and respond to the needs and preferences of ecotourists. The product-market
nexus is the most critical issue affecting the viability of the ecotourism sector.
Without clearly understanding the markets and understanding them thoroughly,
and without then developing products that will be regarded as the preferred
choice for these markets, no ecotourism business can thrive. The product-market
nexus forms the foundation from which a business plan evolves and is the
central feature in the development of successful marketing tactics. Ecotourism
is like all other small businesses: the likelihood of success is slim. However
the failure rate and under-performance of many existing business can be reduced
dramatically if prospective operators see their venture for what it is. It is a
business whose success will depend on how well it is planned, financed, managed
and marketed as a business. It is not a lifestyle, nor is it a means of getting
paid to play. The future development and, indeed, the future existence of
ecotourism relies on the development of appropriate business skills within this
sector.
Irrespective of the
marketing of the term, it is now clear that ecotourism is not a panacea that
always both protects the environment and supports economic activity.
According to The
International Ecotourism Society (TIES)
- Minimize physical, social, behavioral, and
psychological impacts.
- Build environmental and cultural awareness, and
respect.
- Provide positive experiences for both visitors and
hosts.
- Produce direct financial benefits for conservation.
- Generate financial benefits for both local people and
private industry.
- Deliver memorable interpretative experiences to
visitors that help raise sensitivity to host countries' political,
environmental, and social climates.
- Design, construct and operate low-impact facilities.
- Recognize the rights and spiritual beliefs of the
Indigenous People in your community and work in partnership with them to
create empowerment.
Ecotourism is a growing
segment of the global tourism industry that is making significant positive
contributions to the environmental, social, cultural and economic well-being of
destinations and local communities around the world. Offering market-linked
long-term solutions, ecotourism provides effective economic incentives for
conserving and enhancing bio-cultural diversity and helps protect the natural
and cultural heritage of our beautiful planet. By increasing capacity building
opportunities, ecotourism is also an effective vehicle for empowering local
communities around the world to fight against poverty and to achieve
sustainable development. Furthermore, ecotourism has provided an impetus to
assist in greening the tourism
industry on many fronts.
Ecotourism is a tool
that provides opportunities - a financially viable tool that provides
sustainable solutions to economic challenges and conservation needs of local
people; an alternative means of supporting rural economies to help revitalize
and sustain local heritage; and a market-linked force connecting and empowering
stakeholders. Equally importantly, ecotourism also provides the traveler with
unique opportunities to gain authentic experiences, discover new places, make
new friends, and have a fun, memorable time. Eco-traveling can be much more
than just taking only
pictures and leaving only footprints; it’s
an opportunity for you to make a difference and to make a lasting impact on communities and
destinations you visit.
3.
ECOTOURISM IN KERALA
The Government of
Kerala decided to develop Thenmala and its surrounding areas as a tourist
destination in 1995. The various discussions on the development made Government
of Kerala decide to develop the destinations on the principles of ecotourism,
an emerging area of tourism in the world. The term ecotourism is found used
initially in Kerala in 1997 [1]
wherein the Government of Kerala ordered that “Shri.K.G.Mohanlal IFS will
concurrently function as Director Ecotourism in Tourism Department also”. A society
named Thenmala Ecotourism Promotion Society (TEPS) was created for the
development and promotion of Thenmala in July 1998[2].
The Government appointed the Director Ecotourism as the Chief Executive of TEPS[3].
The staff and paraphernalia of TEPS were used for developing the ecotourism for
the state. The first planned ecotourism
destination was developed at Thenmala. Many nature based tourism products were
available before Thenmala in Kerala and India but none was neither developed
nor promoted by using the term ecotourism. The term ecotourism was first used
when Thenmala was developed by Government of Kerala.
Many accommodation
units in private sector in Kerala practiced and promoted eco-friendly practices
and had become unique properties in the tourism business of Kerala. But none of
those accommodation units used the word ecotourism. Under the India
Eco-development Project launched in 1998 the Kerala Forest Department
formulated Eco-development Committees (EDCs) in Periyar Tiger Reserve and
started adventure trekking and camping programmes from 1998. The trekking was
marketed and promoted as Tiger Trial by the “Kerala Travels Interserve” a tour
operator based in Thiruvannathapuram.
From 1998 the
Department of Tourism invited proposals from the Department of Forests and
Wildlife for managing the visitation to the nature based attractions located in
the fringe areas of the forests. This was intended for reducing the pressure on
the forests due to the uncontrolled visitation of people to such areas with the
active involvement of local community. The Forest Department formulated
projects for such places adhering to the rules and guidelines for the management
of forests. The Department of Tourism provided financial support for the
implementation of such projects.
The destinations that began
to be managed by the Forest Department adopting the ecotourism principles and
ensuring protection of the forests utilizing the local community includes Peppara
Wildlife Sanctuary, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Agastyamala Biosphere Reserve
Range, Mankayam, Ponmudi, Kallar, Kotoor in Thiruvananthapuram district,
Kumbhavuruty, Manalar, Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary in Kollam district Konni
in Pathanamthitta district, Thekkady, Vallakkadavu, Idukki Wildlife sanctuary,
Rajamala National Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Pambadum Shola National
Park, Chellarcovil, Thommankoothu in Idukki district, Thattekkad Wildlife
Sanctuary, Panely poru, Mulamkuzhy in Ernakulam district, Chimmini Wildlife
Sanctuary, Peechi Wildlife Sanctuary, Vazhani, Athirapally, Vazhachal in
Thrissur district, Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, Silent Valley National Park, in
Palakkad district, Kanoli plot, Nilambur, Nedumkayam, Adyanpara in Malappuram
district, Pakshipathalam, Pakkom Kuruva, Meenmutty, Soochipara, Chembra Peak in
Muthanga and Tholpetty (Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary) Wayanad district
Thusharagiri, Janakikad, Peruvannamuzhy and Kakkayam (Malabar Wildlife
Sanctuary), Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Pythalmala in Kannur district and
Ranipuram in Kasargod district.
The ecotourism destinations managed by
the Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) a Public Sector Undertaking
under the administrative control of Forest Department includes Gavi, Munnar,
Arippa and Neliampathy.
Ecotourism destinations outside forest
areas managed by Panchayats and District Tourism Promotion Councils include
Maruthimala in Kollam district, Velikeel in Kannur district and Paranthu Ranchi
Manapuram in Ernakulam district.
The Government of
Kerala created a new post of Director Ecotourism in the Department of Tourism in
2003[4]
and posted an IFS officer in the rank of Chief Conservator of Forests as the
Director Ecotourism. The Government of Kerala issued orders to utilize the
staff and resources of TEPS at the disposal of the Director Ecotourism in 2004[5].
The Government of Kerala Department of Tourism introduced guidelines for
eco-classification for hospitality sector in 2003[6].
The Department of Tourism formulated guidelines for ecotourism in forest areas in
2005[7].
A separate head of account for developing ecotourism projects was in the budget
in 2005. The Forest Department created a separate budget head named Ecotourism.
The Department of tourism strengthened the office of the Director Ecotourism by
providing staff in 2010.
4.
ECOTOURISM IN FOREST AREAS.
The Government in 2002[8]
has authorized the Vana Samrakshana Samithy to receive service charges from
visitors and create River Forest Protection Fund (RFPF). The RFPF is to be
utilized for forest protection, litter eradication, visitor security and
conservation awareness campaigns. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests is
the final authority in approving the rates for this purpose. The action plan
for utilization of RFPF is to be approved by Forest Development Agency (FDA) and
funds to be utilized by FDA with the prior sanction of Additional Principal
Chief Conservator of Forests (E&TW).
The National
Forest Policy, 1988 envisages people’s involvement in the development,
protection and management of forests. Government of India, Ministry of
Environment and Forests in 1990 had issued guidelines for involving village
communities and voluntary agencies in regeneration of degraded forest
lands. The guidelines suggested by the Government of India envisage
the formulation of a Participatory Forest Management Scheme (PFM) including the
preparation of microplans and managing the same as per the approved plan. Having realized the necessity of ensuring
people’s participation in effective protection and management of the forest
resources in Kerala, it was decided to develop PFM programme in the State in
1998.
Guidelines for the
implementation of PFM in Kerala were issued by the Government in 1998[9]. Based
on the feedback from the field, a revised guideline was issued in 2006[10] for
the implementation of Participatory Forest Management in Kerala. Participatory
Forest Management (PFM) is a management tool intended to protect the forests
and manage the non-wood forest resources of forests in a sustainable manner
with the active participation of Forest Dependent Communities ensuring their
livelihood needs. Under the PFM set up, there are Village Level bodies known as
Vana Samrakshana Samithies (VSSs) in the Territorial Divisions and Eco
Development Committees (EDCs) in the Wildlife Divisions. The
Participatory Forest Management Programme in Kerala has Vana Samrakshana
Samithi at Implementation Level, Forest Development Agency (a society
registered under Travancore Cochin Literacy, Scientific and Charitable
Societies Act of 1955, constituted at Territorial/ Wildlife Division) at
Facilitation/ Supervision / Division level and State Forest Development Agency
(Apex Body - a society registered under Travancore Cochin Literacy, Scientific
and Charitable Societies Act of 1955) at Funding/ Monitoring / State level. At
present there are 389 Vana Samrakshana Samithies and 187 Eco Development
Committees registered with the 35 Forest Development Agencies. The VSSs and
EDCs are grass root level organizations where forest dependent families are members
participating in the planning and implementation of various forestry and
community development programmes.
State Forest
Development Agency (SFDA), Kerala was constituted in 2010[11].
The SFDA is vested with financial powers for fund flow mechanisms involving
Participatory Forest Management and is the agency to approve and recommend
projects finalized by FDAs, for sustainable forest management which aims in
achieving the objectives of biodiversity conservation and improvement of
livelihood of forest dependent communities. All the FDAs in Kerala are members
of SFDA as per the Memorandum of Association and bye-laws of the State Forest
Development Agency.
5.
THENMALA ECOTOURISM.
Thenmala is a small village at the
foothills of the Western Ghats in Kollam district and is a forest area with a
lot of human interventions at its periphery. Parappar dam (335 m long and 85 m height)
of Kallada Irrigation Project (KIP), the biggest irrigation project of the
state is situated here. The water spread area of this reservoir is 22 sq kms.
The famous Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary is established around this water
body. The Wildlife Sanctuary is about 108 sq km and harbors large verities of
flora and fauna. This sanctuary is the most important ecotourism resource of
the Thenmala Ecotourism Project.
The Government of Kerala created Thenmala
Ecotourism Promotion Society (TEPS) in 1997[12] under
the administrative control of the Department of Tourism. The objectives of TEPS
are as follows.
a)
To develop Thenmala dam and its
surroundings as a major tourist destination.
b)
To promote ecotourism on the basis of
sound principles of ecological sustainability in the surrounding areas of
Thenmala.
c)
To have a well planned tourism
destination with emphasis on sustainable tourism development so as to become a
model for other destination development programmes.
TEPS was registered as a society in July
1998 under the Travancore Cochin Literacy,
Scientific and Charitable Societies Act of 1955. TEPS designed and
developed the destination Thenmala adopting the recommendations of the
Environment Impact Assessment report prepared and submitted on February 1999 by
Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI).
Activities for tourists like the boating in the wildlife sanctuary
reservoir and deer rehabilitation center commenced in December 1999 and other
attractions commenced in January 2001.
The project envisaged three major
components viz. eco-friendly general tourism, ecotourism and pilgrimage
tourism.
Eco-friendly General Tourism is
positioned in the periphery of the sanctuary so that the pressure of tourism
will not affect the sanctuary. The real ecotourism is taking place in the
sanctuary and only ecotourists are encouraged for that. Others can experience
the eco-friendly products such as small nature trails, elevated walkway through
canopies, mountain biking, etc. This strategy was a consciously developed after
analyzing what is happening in various sanctuaries by way of tourist pressure.
Facilities such as boating in the
reservoir, riverine walkway, elevated walkway amphitheater, musical dancing
fountain, mountain biking etc are provided at Thenmala. These form a
familiarization zone and are developed as part of a conscious management
strategy to reduce impact on forest ecosystem inside the sanctuary.
Ecotourism is carried out in the
surrounding forest area as part of the Shenduruney Wildlife sanctuary. Apart
from that a number of satellite spots were identified and developed within a
radius of 50 kms from Thenmala as ecotourism centers. These centers are
Palaruvi, Arippa, Kulathupuzha, Aryankavu, Achankovil, Konni, Pampa, Kochu
Pampa, Umayar and Ponmudi.
Another aspect is the strategy for
developing an Eco-Pilgrimage Circuit from Thenmala connecting the three Ayyappa
shrines related to famous Shabarimala i.e. Kulathupuzha, Aryankavu and
Achankovil, which fall within the project area. Such a proactive step is
extremely necessary to see that environmental issues at Shabarimala will not
happen in these places. That is the reason why a special thrust to this
“Pilgrimage Circuit” is given i.e. ecological problems of these three places
will be monitored by the project so as to make it environmentally sustainable.
The eco-friendly general tourism
products designed to cater to the interests of tourists include the adventure
zone with an elevated walkway and a bunch of soft adventure activities, the
leisure zone with pathways, riverfront walkway, sculpture garden, hanging
bridge, the butterfly safari which is a walk through the habitation created for
butterflies, the children’s park inside the nakshatravanam, the deer
rehabilitation center which rehabilitates sambar, spotted deer and the
picturesque boating in the Shenduruney wildlife sanctuary reservoir.
Palaruvi which
means “milky stream” is a waterfall near Thenmala which makes its way down the
rocks from a height of 300 feet through evergreen forests. The Forest
department manages the tourist visitation to the falls through Vana Samrakshana
Samithi (VSS). The members of the vana samrakshana samithi provides visitor
services like guiding, security guards, life guards, manning refreshment and
souvenir stalls etc. In this way the
local forest dependent community earns a livelihood through positive dependency
of the forests. Thenmala Ecotourism Promotion Society provided necessary
financial support for developing the basic infrastructure facilities for the
tourists like the dress changing room, toilets cafeteria etc.
Forest
department in consultation with TEPS planned livelihood options for the people
in the fringes of the Shenduruney wildlife sanctuary through ecotourism and
included it in the management plan of the sanctuary. EDCs were formed and
various ecotourism programmes in the sanctuary commenced from 2014.
The highlights of Thenmala Ecotourism
are.
- Result
of a search for sustainable forms of tourism.
- Only
temporary stay/visits are permitted to undisturbed areas.
- Locating
permanent structures for tourism adjacent to presently degraded forest
zones close to habitations.
- Suitable
pricing policies for use of ecotourism sites.
- Sound
environmental practices.
- Activities
to promote conservation.
- Continuous
monitoring and evaluation of ecotourism development in terms of impacts.
- Promote
environmental education.
- Local
communities to be informed about the options and possibilities of
ecotourism development.
6.
ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT AT THEKKADY.
The livelihood induced
forest dependency was the major concern for the management of Periyar Tiger
Reserve. Traditional methods of forest protection were the common strategy
adopted here also. As a novel strategy to tackle this issue the India
Eco-development project was initiated in the 1990s. The project envisaged
participatory management of the protected area in association with the
peripheral villagers groups.
The Ex-vayana Bark
Collectors Eco-development committee is one such group working in Periyar tiger
reserve, formed with 21 individuals who were previously engaged in legal
collection of vayana bark (Cinnamon tree bark) from Periyar Tiger Reserve.
These habitual forest offenders were socially ostracized for their activity and
were leading a miserable life. Though tireless and concerted efforts of
managers of India Eco-development project they were gradually brought back to
mainstream and rehabilitated as park protectors by the park management. Now these
groups of Ex-forest offenders help the park management for the protection of
the invaluable wildlife wealth of Periyar tiger reserve. The members of this
Eco-development committee are excellent wildlife trackers and guides. Periyar
Tiger Trail is a unique ecotourism package of adventurous trekking and camping
in the wilderness of Periyar tiger reserve using the manpower and skill of this
group. This package helps these eco-development committee members meet their
livelihood and their presence inadvertently helps in the protection of the
park. The routes selected for the trekking and sites for camping are primarily
centered in the vulnerable pockets of Periyar Tiger Reserve.
This is the saga of a
great social change. The guiding team consists of members of the co-development
committee (EDC) of ex-vayana bark collectors. Destructive dependence on the forests
was their mode of existence in the past, leading to severe conflict and
animosity with the forest department. But as an ambitious scheme of the India
Eco-development Project, a series of dialogues were initiated between them and forest
department, leading to the formulation of this unique program. Their excellent
understanding of the forests and camping sites, an essential component for
their former occupation, makes them the right persons for this programme.
Further, their presence in these areas along with forest officials and tourists
will ensure protection of such areas from other poachers and illegal
activities. That they have not attempted any illegal activity in spite of
severe financial crisis ever since the dialogue took off, amply points to their
sincerity. The team members are trained in first aid, tracking wildlife,
collection of primary data of wildlife sighting, bird watching, etiquette etc.
apart from the basic skills needed for tourist guides. Forest guards on duty
armed with rifles are also accompanying the trekking party.
The management of
ecotourism programmes gradually shifted to the consortium of EDCs called the
Periyar Foundation. New conservation focused ecotourism products were added.
The products offered include Bamboo rafting, Bullock cart discoveries, guided
trekking programs like nature walk, cloud walk, Green walk, border trekking,
Jungle scout and accommodation facilities like Bamboo grove, Jungle inn
etc.
7.
MARKETING KERALA TOURISM.
The highlights of the
Kerala Tourism are.
i.
Foreign Tourist arrival
to Kerala during the year 2017 is 10,91,870 showing an increase of 5.15% over
the previous year’s figure of 10,38,419.
ii.
Domestic Tourist
arrival to Kerala during the year 2017 is 1,46,73,520 showing an increase of
11.39 % over the last year’s figure 1, 31,72,535.
iii.
Total Tourist arrival
to Kerala during the year 2017 is 1,57,65,390 showing an increase of 10.94%
over the last year figure 1, 42, 10,954.
iv.
Foreign exchange
earnings for the year 2017 are Rs.8392.11 Crores showing an increase of 8.29 %
over the figures of year 2016 Rs 7749.51 Crores.
v.
Total Revenue (direct
& indirect) from Tourism during 2017 is Rs 33383.68 Crores, showing an
increase of 12.56 % over previous year’s figure Rs 29658.56 Crores.
The Department of
Tourism Government of Kerala is the nodal agency which markets Kerala
nationally and internationally with the objective of attracting visitors to
Kerala. The destination Kerala is promoted under the brand “Kerala Tourism”
with the tagline “Gods own country”. The tagline was introduced in 1990.
The marketing of the
brand Kerala Tourism is focused and uses various innovative
methods. Aggressive public relations and media relations are carried out.
Sustained marketing efforts are conducted in select markets. The Department of
Tourism (also called “Kerala Tourism”) at all times maintains a healthy
private-public partnership. A ‘Synergy’
is developed which facilitates joint promotion and marketing initiatives
between the tourism trade and the Government. A conscious focus is kept on the
up-market, quality conscious tourist. This strategy is vital in terms of
sustaining and developing the destination.
Kerala Tourism organizes all-expenses
paid familiarization tours for the trade. Kerala is the first destination to
resort to the electronic media and the internet aggressively for promotion. The
website of Kerala Tourism is www.keralatourism.org. The website became
functional on 24 December 1998. The website has web pages in 11 international
languages and 7 Indian languages. A monthly e-news letter is also released. A
Mobile application is also developed giving information on the tourist places.
Kerala Tourism markets
Kerala as a must see destination. A few things that make Kerala unique are as
follows.
Kerala is 100%
literate, emphasizes Universal education, and has 70 years life expectancy.
Kerala has India's highest Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI), English is
widely spoken here and almost 100% of the state has digital telephony with
statewide internet connectivity.
Kerala always welcomed and assimilated
religions from ancient ages. Buddhism (200 BC to 800AD) and Jainism (300 BC to
500AD) flourished in Kerala before the revival of Hinduism. India's first
Christians, Muslims and Jews found a home here. Christianity reached Kerala
when St. Thomas landed here in AD 52. St. Francis Church (1503 AD) in Fort
Kochi is India’s oldest European-built Church. Oldest mosque in the Indian
subcontinent is the Cheraman Juma Masjid (629 AD) in Kodungalloor. The
Mattanchery Jewish Synagogue (1568 AD) is the oldest in the Commonwealth.
Kerala had a flourishing trade with Phoenicians, Arabs, Egyptians, Greeks,
Chinese, Europeans. Muziris, the ancient port city (presently Kodungallur) was
one of the busiest in Asia and was known as ‘primum emporium Indiae’. Spice
Route, the trade route to the Malabar Coast for spices and other treasures is
famous all over the world. Vasco-Da-Gama, the first European to land in India
arrived in Kerala in 1498. Cochin was the seat of Portugese in India till 1530
when the capital of Portugese India was transferred to Goa. Monuments like
Pallipuram Fort, Mattancherry Palace, Santa Cruz Church, St. Francis of Assissi
Church where Vasco de Gama was originally buried, Vasco House give a glimpse of
Portugese architectural heritage.
Kerala is a land with a widespread
influence on language, cuisine, religion. This is a land where all religions
and communities live in peace and harmony. Kerala has always had strong
governance and rule of law. The people of Kerala have deep rooted civic sense
and political consciousness.
The prime tourist season in Kerala is
from October to May. The Monsoons
June-July are considered best
for Ayurvedic health holidays. The months of August and September is the festival season when the people
celebrates Onam, the harvest festival. The snake-boat races, elephant
ceremonies and village fairs are common during these periods. A seven-day
cultural fiesta in February every year “The Nishagandhi dance festival” and
A five-day music fiesta in July every year “The Nishagandhi monsoon music
festival” are conducted at the Nishagandhi Auditorium, in the majestic premises
of the lush green Kanakakkunnu Palace in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram.
The festival “Vishu” is the New Year
Hindu festival celebrated mostly in the mid of the month of April. The Thrissur
Pooram, an annual Hindu temple festival happens in April/ May. The
Snake-boat Races as part of onam celebrations happens in July – Aug. The Cochin carnival is
held as part of the Christmas celebrations in December.
Kerala is a land of classical art forms
like Kathakali and Koodiyattam. Koodiyattam is one of the oldest art forms.
There are innumerable folk art forms like Theyyam. The martial art form of the
land is Kalaripayattu. There are many traditional temple percussion music and
the orchestra of five instruments called “Panchavadyam” evolved here. There are
countless rituals associated with different religions.
Kerala since 600 BC is considered as a
home of Ayurveda, the 'science of life'. Ayurveda Refreshes, rejuvenates and
revives in the nature's way. There are many world-famous therapy centres and
ayurvedic resorts in Kerala. The balmy climate of Kerala is the world's best
for Ayurveda therapies; especially during the monsoons.
The backwaters, with villages, towns and
habitats on either banks are unique to Kerala. Some backwater villages are
below sea levels. The backwater-based cuisine is famed for spice and variety.
A gourmet can experience seafood,
vegetarian, traditional and spicy food items here. South India offers “One of
the best breakfasts of the world”.
Kerala is a green paradise with its lush
greenery greeting you everywhere. It doesn’t matter whether you are in city,
suburban or a rural village, the green flora beckons you. Kerala has 5
National Parks, 16 Wildlife Sanctuaries and 1 community reserve. The forests of
Kerala are part of two biosphere reserves.
Kerala offers world class infrastructure
in accommodation and conferencing with national and international hotel chains
including Taj, Oberoi, Le Meridien, Golden Tulip, Casino (CGH Earth), Abad
Group of Hotel etc.
Kerala has excellent connectivity with 3
international airports, which makes an airport only 3 hours drive away from any
part in Kerala. There is also a well-knit rail and road network. Kerala has
India’s most advanced communication infrastructure with 100% digital telephone
exchanges, high-speed international submarine cable landings.
Kerala Tourism takes
steps to develop and implement effective marketing strategies to get better
mileage for Kerala and value for the money spent on marketing. Marketing
efforts are based on the market analysis and consumer preferences. Special
marketing campaigns are conducted in national and international level. Kerala
Tourism participates in almost all national and international trade fairs,
organizes national and international trade meets and conducts familiarization trips
(fam trips) for tour operators, leading travel writers and journalists.
The Department of
Tourism (Kerala Tourism) releases promotional advertisements in print,
television, Radio and out of home media (OOH). Train branding and Airport
branding is done selectively. Hoardings are displayed in major cities. Social
media and online campaigns are carried out.
As part of marketing
“Kerala Blog Express”, an annual bloggers meet is organized by the Kerala
Tourism for travel bloggers from around the globe who are excited about taking
a two-week road trip in God’s Own Country. Other unique programmes like Kochi
Muziris Biennale which is an international exhibition of contemporary
art held in Kochi, Kerala is organized in association with the
Kochi Biennale Foundation. It is the largest art exhibition in India and the
biggest contemporary art festival in Asia.
Kerala Tourism in
association with the Kerala Travel Mart Society organizes the Kerala Travel
Mart(KTM), a trade fair for the promotion of tourism in Kerala
once in two years.
UNESCO New Delhi and
the Government of Kerala Department of Tourism jointly organized an
‘International Spice Route Culinary Festival and Competition’ from 23-26
September 2016 at Bolgatty Palace Hotel, Cochin, Kerala. Inspired by the
ancient spice trade which connected Kerala with some 31 countries across the
world, the Culinary festival featured chefs from spice route nations like
Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia,
Netherlands, Portugal, Qatar and Thailand, to name a few, who prepared creative
dishes around the theme of the Spice Route. Kerala Tourism plans for
International culinary festival in the coming years too.
For the coming years,
(2018-2020) Kerala Tourism plans for marketing campaigns to attract chartered
flights from potential markets, Organize brand campaigns, rope in a brand
ambassador, promote MICE, Wedding Tourism, Monsoon Tourism, produce new
signature films, produce new publicity materials such as brochures, CDs etc,
conduct marketing efforts with the help of stake holders of tourism industry,
update and modify the Kerala Tourism website, micro sites, mobile apps etc,
promote activities joining with other internet famous portals, strengthen the
marketing through Tourism Information Centers throughout Kerala and national
level, Marketing of the classification schemes such as home stays, serviced
villas, Ayurveda, restaurant, Farm tourism, Houseboats etc, release goodwill
advertisements, sponsor major events, enhance the public relation activities,
conduct of local tourism events and the promotion of the traditional fairs,
festivals and local cultural programmes.
8.
MARKETING OF ECOTOURISM PRODUCTS OF KERALA.
Around
60 destinations offer various ecotourism products in Kerala. Most of the
ecotourism products are forest based. The number of tourist experiencing the
products is fixed based on the carrying capacity. The ecotourism products can
take only a limited number of visitors. These intern reduce negative impacts
but ensure a livelihood option for the local forest dependent community. The
existing products almost get the required number of visitors from the local
domestic tourism market itself. The supply is less and the demand is more. Kerala
Tourism highlights ecotourism products in its marketing campaigns. The forest
department plans for evolving visitor management strategies based on the
carrying capacity studies done in a scientific manner in the destinations.
Kerala
Tourism has developed a separate website www.ecotourismkeralam.org in 2007 for
promoting the ecotourism products offered by Kerala. Coffee-table books and
Brochures providing detailed information on sanctuaries and National parks were
prepared listing the ecotourism programmes in detail. The website of the Kerala
Forest Department www.forest.kerala.gov.in provides facility for online booking
of ecotourism programmes in forest areas.
The
destination Thenmala is marketed by TEPS. Periyar, Parambikulam, Konni, Munnar
etc by the respective FDAs. The ecotourism products offered by the Kerala
Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) are marketed through the website www.kfdcecotourism.com.
There is a lack of a common single platform for providing information on
ecotourism products of Kerala.
A few
ecotourism practitioners were of the opinion that the forest based ecotourism
products of Kerala need not be marketed as done for conventional tourism
products because
1. the availability of the facility is limited and fixed on the
basis of carrying capacity.
2. most of the products are catchment based ones.
3. the programmes are forest protection oriented,
4. the programs should be an alternative livelihood option for
the local fringe forest community so that they do not resolve to destructive
dependence on forests.
5. the programmes are not viewed as a commercial activity.
6. the polluters pay principle is adopted.
7. the visitors should be prophets of conservation.
8. many products cannot be offered during closure periods of the
protected areas.
9.
CONCLUSION
Ecotourism
appeals to a wide range of travelers, of all ages and interests. Travelers who
choose ecotourism are responsible consumers interested in social, economic and
environmental sustainability. Seeking authentic local experiences and
opportunities to give back to the communities they visit, many eco-tourists
participate in voluntourism activities. Increasingly, ecotourists are also
seeking to minimize the carbon footprint of their travel, traveling with
climate in mind by planning wisely and choosing consciously.
It is
believed that good products don’t need marketing. Marketing is in fact very
much needed.
For
two reasons:
1.
People don’t know that
you or your product exists. They’re unaware that you can solve a problem for
them.
2.
People don’t know, what
you know, about the product you sell. They don’t know it can help them.
If
there is one lesson we can take away from the success of the non-advertisers,
it’s that a winning strategy even without advertising comes down to product and
people. Such brands focus on making high quality products. They trust people
and the power of word-of-mouth to do the rest.
The
threats and limitations identified due to large visitation towards the
conservation may be used as the unique selling proposition for the product and
position the product as priceless. The ecotourism product offered mostly are of
high demand and less in supply. In such situations the strategy adopted is to
increase the price for the product and control the demand.
A
Government entity can apportion a percentage of such available products to cater
to researchers and students. An opportunity to avail the limited products shall
be given to all persons alike by utilizing the modern operational tools like
online booking facility etc. The quality of education and awareness provided
and experience gained shall be improved through the guides and not by providing
more facilities as demanded by tourist seeking luxury. Focus of marketing shall
be on conservation and promotion of education and providing rich experience and
making each visitor an ambassador for conservation.
Most
of the ecotourism products in Kerala so far are inside the forests. An
institutional arrangement is necessary exclusively to plan and market
ecotourism products available and to train the manpower providing guiding and
other services so that the quality of the product is enhanced and the
protection of the forests is ensured.
Marketing of the
ecotourism products shall be well planned in consideration of the principles of
ecotourism and not like marketing of mass tourism products.
Address for correspondence: D.Manoj Kumar, Project Executive, Thenmala
Ecotourism Promotion Society (TEPS), Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram District,
Kerala, India, Ph:9447004807, mail: kavilmanoj@gmail.com
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