‘PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATION FOR PARTICIPATORY PLANNING AND EMPOWERMENT THROUGH RESPONSIBLE TOURISM’ (PEPPER) is an attempt towards establishing 100 percent structured RT destinations. Envisaged at turning the face of tourism, it pictures the sustainable development of a destination by bringing the local community also into its fold.                                                                 

The main objective of PEPPER is discovering new zones or unexplored destinations that are rich with tourism potential and developing them in a hundred percent sustainable fashion with the active involvement of the local community. It is a process of finding out lesser-known tourist destinations that should be developed with people’s participation. This scheme enables the people and the Local Self Governing institutions to participate in decision making regarding the activities.
A first of its kind initiative in India, PEPPER is an effort at spearheading a movement that will safeguard the rights of the local community, preserve the ecological and cultural fabric of a destination and ensure its holistic development. PEPPER will reinvent the way the local community is involved in tourism. Special Tourism Gramasabhas will be conducted in each destination and it will have a major say in framing tourism policies. 
 The project was launched at Vaikom in Kottayam district. The State level launch of PEPPER was held on 3rd November. In a phased manner the Mission aims to spread PEPPER  all over the State. 
What is happening in PEPPER?

•    Tourism Grama Sabhas in Local Self Governing Institutions (1 Tourism Grama Sabha per Local Self Governing Institution).
•    Tourism resource mapping
•     Publishing tourism resource directory
•    Tourism Marketing 
•     FAM trips
•     Selection of beneficiaries (from Local Self Governing Institutions).
•    Minimum 2000 individuals will get tourism employment training.
•     Accepting and exercising the popularly suggested and accepted tourism packages from Local Self Governing Institutions.
•    Designing and performing tourism master plan.
•    Supervision, Regulation and Direction – Responsible Tourism Mission Committee including MLA, Chairman, Coordinator and Convener of RT Mission. The HoDs of all the Local Self Governing Institutions are a part of this. The officials and stakeholders regarding the mission are also part of the same.
•     Execution of projects through concerned government agencies.

•    PEPPER is a footstep towards democratic tourism development by the RT mission.

  2018-19 – 20 centres other than Vaikom

  2019-20 – 20 new centres

  2020-21 – 10 new centres

  By 2021, 50 new PEPPER tourism project centres will exist. This will be a model for the tourism development sector.

 PEPPER Status Report