Tourism News

Eco-certification scheme from Kerala Tourism

Published in Newsletter Issue No. 117 - May 1 2003

Eco-tourism is one of the prime necessities that would sustain the tourism aspirations of a region. Kerala Tourism realizes the significance of eco-tourism concept and has decided to promote it in a big way through the introduction of an eco-certification scheme aimed at tourist stakeholders in the State. This endeavour, Eco-Kerala attempts to evolve a set of practices to help each sub-sector within the ambit of tourism to be more eco-friendly. Since Kerala is being projected as a high quality destination, environmental management in tourism related organizations assume great importance. The certification scheme has been initiated keeping this in mind. The first initiative of Kerala has been introduced aiming at the hospitality sector. The initiative involves grading hotels, resorts etc based on their compliance to three sets of conditions that have been classified as essential, necessary and desirable. The essential conditions include energy saving measures, water conservation, promotion of eco-tourism products etc, while the desirable conditions include use of renewable sources of energy, use of traditional building design and materials, use of non-chemical fertilizers etc. Celebration of important environmental days, implementation of wastewater management etc has been included under the necessary conditions. Hotels, resorts etc fulfilling the essential, necessary and desirable conditions will enjoy the unique status of being the diamond member of Kerala Tourism. Those complying with the essential and desirable conditions will be enrolled as a club member, while those complying with only the essential conditions will be members. A committee consisting of the Secretary Kerala Tourism, Director Kerala Tourism, Director Eco-tourism, representatives of FHRAI, HAI, IATO and the Principal of IHMCT-Kovalam will conduct inspections based on which membership certificates will be issued by the Director, Kerala Tourism. Certificate holders will be offered several incentives by the Department and will be included in the brochures, leaflets and other promotional materials of Kerala Tourism.