Thiruvananthpuram: Kerala’s first Caravan park is all set to come up in Vagamon, a scenic hill station located in Idukki district. The park, as part of the state government’s new Caravan Tourism policy, would be thrown open to travellers on February 25, state Tourism Minister P A Mohammad Riyas said on Thursday.
The minister said that Caravan Tourism was introduced by the state Tourism department as a safe means for holidaying at a time when people are unable to step out or travel due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Each traveller wishes for safe journey, accommodation and food these days. The Caravan Tourism project is a great hope and opportunity for people who have been unable to travel and forced to stay indoor for a long time’, Riyas said in a Facebook post. Noting that houseboats had been introduced as a new product in the state tourism sector during 1980s, he said no such product was launched Kerala after that.
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Pointing to the response for the new initiative, the minister said it was immense following the announcement made by the Tourism department in September last year. So far 154 applications have been received for 303 caravans from the private sector. he also pointred out that caravan is the latest product launched by the state in the tourism sector after houseboats, adding that as many as 67 people have already come forward for the first 100 Caravan parks.
To meet the rising demands and preferences of tourists in the post-pandemic world, Kerala had announced a comprehensive, stakeholder-friendly Caravan Tourism Policy, promising the visitors safe, customized and closest-to-nature travel experience. The policy envisages laying down the broad framework for the development and encouragement of Caravan Tourism in Kerala, predominantly in the private sector through incentivizing the purchase of caravans and for establishing caravan parks, chalking out the process and procedures for its operations and approvals.
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Under the initiative, there will be two types of caravans. In one model, two guests shall be accommodated, while the other is for a family of four, department sources said. The tourism caravans would have all the necessary amenities for a comfortable stay such as sofa-cum-bed, kitchenette with fridge and microwave oven, dining table, toilet cubicle, partition behind the driver, Air-conditioner, internet connectivity, audio-video facilities, charging system and GPS.
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