Perspective of Paravur, Kollam, South India

Home , Kollam, Kollam district, Kulathupuzha, Palaruvi, Parippally, Polachira

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 3s, (2020), pp. 1462-1468

SUSTAINABLE RESPONSIBLE TOURISM PRACTICES: PERSPECTIVE OF PARAVUR, KOLLAM, SOUTH INDIA

Srisai Devikrishna. D1*, 2Smitha Chandran S8, Int.M.A.English Language & Literature 1Department of English, 2Department of Chemistry, Amrita School of Arts and Sciences, Amritapuri, AmritaVishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, Kerala, India.

Abstract Concern over the natural and social environments have generated research debate worldwide on tourism-environment relationship. Responsible tourism practices have become the most popular perception and standard for modern tourism development. It promotes the conservation and overall sustainable utilization, management and protection and of the natural environment, local cultures and contributes towards a better quality of life. This paper focuses to ascertain the promotion of sustainable tourism practices in Paravur, Kollam district, a place in South India. Self- administered questionnaires were distributed to the inhabitants of the study area using quota sampling. The study also envisages to diagnose problems faced by the local people and the government authorities in the area of responsible sustainable tourism practices, identify problems and propose management options in such a way that the impacts on the environment is limited also promoting the social, cultural and economic development of the residents of Paravur area. Finally, it is highly imperative to educate the participants and stakeholders related to the deployment of responsible and sustainable tourism practices. The prerequisites for responsible sustainable tourism includes: environmental awareness, education, information, ethics, stakeholder participation, cooperation and consensus among the stakeholders and finally results in the tourist satisfaction.

Keywords: Responsible tourism, Local cultures, Sustainability, Paravur, Stakeholder participation.

Introduction

Nature unrolls life. The very genesis of us is coalesce with Mother Nature, which imbibes an ecological wakefulness; a sense of deep –rootedness .But this sense of noetic truth regarding the biotic relationship with nature has taken a nose-dive with the quantum leap in Science & Technology. The sun gives us light, the moon gives us delight, water, air, soil -support and sustain life on earth. The gift of human life is possible under specific environmental and ecological conditions. But we humans have taken the Mother Nature for granted. Over consumption and over utilization is our greatest sin. Man has become self- centered, his ego has doomed in commercialization, materialistic as well as aesthetic pleasure. In precise, each and every field handled by us has become a major threat to mother earth. The above notion is justified by the effects of so- called natural calamities. Tourism is one such global industrial field that has attributed destruction to nature via pollution, though it profound hospitality services and suffices aesthetic pleasures of consumerism. Tourism is a broad sector involving social, cultural and economic phenomenon: which entails the movement of domestic, inbound and outbound masses for personal, business and professional purposes as per the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Tourism within the sphere of sociological dimensions emphasize on tourist typology , hosts and guest relations , socio-cultural impacts , participation and involvement of local people , stakeholders, promotion of traditional agricultural unites and folk theatre. Within the economical sphere tourism is fastest growing sector that opens door to employment opportunities at a massive scale. Thus tourism is an economic driver that is widely received and recognized enterprise that has accomplished a breakthrough in market strategies.

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 3s, (2020), pp. 1462-1468

The objective of our case-study is to achieve tourism perspective in a wider dimension that involves eco-tourism strategy, moreover to make it sustainable and responsible so as to fabricate it as a regulatory oriented institution. This paper focuses to ascertain the promotion of sustainable tourism practices in Paravur, Kollam district, a place in South India. From the late part of the eighteenth century and early part of nineteenth century the increased fossil fuel burning, from the time immemorial of industrial revolution started to threaten the ecological balance due to increasing carbon emission in the environment and the consequent global warming. Environmental pollution, contamination of natural water bodies, deforestation, unplanned urbanization, unscientific encroachment of land are all factors which is leading to considerable environmental degradation. Scientists have predicted that the storm and rain pattern has been changing, icebergs of poles have been melting and natural disasters are increasing as a consequence of global warming. Bio diversity loses and extinction of different flora and fauna may have severe detrimental effect on human health. Currently we are facing all those after effects; it has become a global crisis. Though we can’t completely perish all these issues, we can at least halt further anthropogenic destructions. Literature review

For the last three decades, the scientific conciseness has changed to protect the environment and eco- friendly measures have been taken in many industrial and economic sectors. Promotion of green energy and use of bio degradable consumables are well known movements in this field. Eco friendly cum Sustainable-Responsible tourism is one of the upcoming socio-economic interventions to address the environmental pollution and degradation done by traditional tourism. “Tourism will never be completely sustainable as every industry has impacts, but it can work towards becoming more sustainable: the world is not such a lonely planet anymore but the very resources we promote through tourism are in danger of degradation”. The concept of tourism has evolved to a scientifically -based approach to the planning management and development of sustainable-responsible tourism products and activities. Currently people are exploring novel and unique-ecstatic experience out of nature. Thus a new genre of people has come into light who respect the environment, human life, ecology and nature in all its pure blissful grace. The very concept of Ecotourism is to achieve purposive travel to natural destinations to perceive and re- interpret the ethnic, indigenous and natural antecedents of landscape, in accordance to not to alter the probity of the biological system of nature, while boosting economic opportunities that forge preservation and efficient use of natural resources beneficiary to natives along with the establishment of sustainable- ecotourism. According to the definition and principles of ecotourism established by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) in 1990, ecotourism is "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." Characteristics of ecotourism include exploring nature, minimization of anthropogenic impacts, being aware of the environment, supporting and improvising the life of locales socially and economically, promotion of folk-culture etc. In addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an integral part of eco-tourism is the promotion of 3-R policies (reduce, reuse, recycle) and creation of economic opportunities for local communities; imparting ideology of responsibility and sustainability. Kerala Eco- Tourism

Kerala state, globally proclaimed as The God’s own country which lies on the tropical Malabar Coast of India: known for its scenic beauty fabricated by the Great Escarpment of India that is the “Sahyadri”and 600 km of Arabian seashore line focuses on sustainable-responsible and eco-friendly development of tourism. A rich biodiversity and unrivaled natural sights make the State a completely unique ecotourism hotspot which is known for its landscape, palm-coated beaches, waterfalls, backwaters, estuaries, a network of canals, inlands, mountainous slopes supporting tea, coffee and spice plantations, wealthy flora and fauna constituting National parks like “Eravikulam”, “Periyar”, natural world sanctuaries and so forth :usually a concise shape of mother earth in all its form beholds right here of which the arena is largely unaware. To discover the sustainable-responsible tourism possibilities in Kerala, a number of products

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 3s, (2020), pp. 1462-1468 had been advanced with the lively assist and involvement of the local community in accordance with sustainable indicators include: population, peace, prosperity, conservation tourism. Kerala has emerged as one of the most preferred tourism destination in this part of the world. In order to keep this benevolence and to stay one-step ahead from other twin enterprise, Kerala tourism has tried a chain of eco-tasks to make the tourism enterprise without a doubt environment friendly. Tourism enterprise completely relies on the environment. When the condition of environment gets worse, action for tourism additionally declines: important sights encompass the bodily and cultural surroundings of a vacation spot. Being the leader in innovative tourism initiatives, Kerala Tourism is now poised to transform the complete Tourism enterprise in Kerala into Eco-friendly mode. The training learned up to now from within the state and different tasks somewhere else inside the world may be useful in reaching the desired set. In Kerala, there exist 56 recognized destinations for Eco-tourism improvement, giving emphasis to conservation, ecological sustainability, environmental schooling, and maintenance and benefiting of local network. In order to give policy aid for the improvement of the ecotourism locations inside the State, Kerala Tourism has established an independent wing for sustainable tourism. Among these 56 places, the wing has chosen Thenmala, Kulathupuzha, Achancoil and Palaruvi as ecotourism destination centers in Kollam. Kollam district, formerly named as Quilon by Portuguese owns the credit for its trade hub, endowed with hills, cave, backwaters, estuaries, beaches, waterfall, valleys, island, rivers, canals etc. This place embrace all forms of religion and culture; reclaiming its historical significance with Portuguese built striped 1902 Thangsseri light house with ecstatic ocean views , network of waterways rich with vegetation, garnished with serenity of Ashtamudi lake , crowns Thenmala hills on the far side : the first eco-tourism host in Kerala , accompanied by the milky falls of Palaruvi and exotic butterfly park . Moreover the Jatayu Earth’s Center,rock-theme nature park is a masterpiece combo of artistry, mythology, technology, culture, adventure, leisure and wellness : beholds world’s largest sculpture of the great bird Jatayu epochs “Women safety and honor” in all its grandeur : a glorious instance showcasing sustainable eco-friendly tourism . Kollam district offers a perfect amalgamation of sight-seeing, adventure, leisure and entertainment. An adventurer feels adrenalin rush at the adventure zones that offers variety of activities like mountain biking , zip-line, valley-crossing , sky cycling , jumaring , bouldering , archery , commando net , rifle shooting , log-walking , paint ball station , kayaking etc. A traveler in a spiritual quest seeks refuge at Mata Amritanandhamayi ashram in Amritapuri, which is world famous. Boating in Munroe Island across the Ashtamudi Lake is a tranquil experience and many more to explore.

Methodology Aims and Objectives  To explore the possibility of eco-friendly cum sustainable-responsible tourism promotion in South Paravur.  To evolve a sustainable management plan for ecotourism development.  To make the tourists aware of the cultural and traditional practices of the natives of South Paravur.  To recommend the government to promote this environment as one of the eco-friendly tourism area  To have a nicely planned tourism destination with emphasis on sustainable tourism development to be able to emerge as a model for other destination improvement.

Selection of study area

The beauty of nature charms us all the time. It mesmerizes every human being to the maximum core as we find a way to escape from the mundane life and finds solace at the lap of nature: a marvelous and incredible creation of god. In the list of tourist attracting areas of Kollam district, South Paravur, is not

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 3s, (2020), pp. 1462-1468 placed with much importance, hence our case study is targeted on later. It is the place where sea and Paravur backwater join together, where people can enjoy the real beauty of nature and the joining place of Paravur backwater and the Arabian sea which is separated by “pozhi”forming estuary(Pozhi – the bund that separate backwater and sea). It is an area where ecotourism can be developed but still it is not given much significance even by the government, so this area is selected for the study to explore the possibility of developing eco-friendly, sustainable and responsible tourism. South Paravur is situated along the Malabar Drift in the locale of Kollam. Paravur is situated at 8.78 N 76 E. It has a normal rise of 10 meters (32 feet). South Paravur, arranged on the southernmost piece of Kollam (Quilon) region adjacent to the Middle Eastern Ocean, is a veritable and flexible Kerala in small scale and is engraved with one of a kind delegate highlights - ocean, lakes, fields, waterways, backwaters, immense green fields. It is rich in common grand excellence arranged by coconut trees. It is prospered with shorelines and backwaters. Paravur is 24 km far from Kollam city by road while Paravur can be reached in 15 minutes (12 km) via town’s railway. This place has offered ascend to various vacationer resorts, with facilities for sailing, swimming, rafting, kayaking and surfing. This town is associated by rail course to Paravur railhead which is 3.5 Km away, while Kollam railhead is 20 Km from here. The closest airplane terminal is Thiruvananthapuram International Air terminal which is around 65 Km away. The acclaimed Varkala shoreline is a negligible 15 kilometers drive from here. Paravur is 10 km from the NH-47. The redirection from the principle National Expressway towards Paravur which is relatively equidistant from Paripally and Chathanoor. Paravur has a metropolitan bus stand where private and government KSRTC utilize. Transports for close-by areas like Varkala, Kappil and Edava begin from the city transport stand.

Starting at 2001 India registration, Paravur had a populace of 38,649. Guys comprise 47% of the populace and females 53%. Paravur has a normal education rate of 79%, higher than the national normal of 59.5%: male proficiency is 81%, and female proficiency is 77%. In Paravur, 10% of the populace are under 6 years old. There are twelve nearby assortments of veggies and natural products found on the country parts of the town. The town culture is as yet dependent on horticulture, angling and creature ranches. There are just a couple of plantations left nowadays for you may locate some scrumptious natural products in there. Paddy development has been on the decay because of the fast urbanization when contrasted with the 1970's. Angling is an imperative piece of living for the shoreline tenants. Also it is famous for its coir making industry, temples and churches.

Project details

Important Sightseeing locations at Paravur: It is an angling town with conventional coir making plants and coconut palm weaving focuses. Paravur has a lot of temples and places of worship.

Puthenkulam Elephant Town: This is situated around 5 kms from Paravur on Paravur – Parippally Street. Paravur has generally around 50 elephants in entirety. Consistently this place draws in countless attention from everywhere throughout the world, especially amid the long periods of November to spring. The entire commence is spread over more than 3.5 sections of land. The exercises accessible incorporate elephant riding, trekking, elephant sustaining and showering.

Celebrations: Paravur is notable for its celebrations. The town brags of various temples, mosques and a church. The Sanctuary celebrations begin from January reaching out till the April of the year. One of the real celebrations is the Puttingal goddess temple festival. As this occurs amid the pinnacle traveler season there is a sizable measure of outsiders who come to see the sanctuary merriments. Celebrations in a large portion of the sanctuaries have a parade with the elephants joined by conventional percussion instruments and furthermore scenes.

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 3s, (2020), pp. 1462-1468

Backwater: Paravur has a variety of backwaters and lakes encompassing the town. In any case, with the approach of streets and others methods for transport the inland conduits had been disregarded. Be that as it may, recharged endeavors are in progress to begin connecting the conduits to an aspiring inland conduits framework being supported by the state government on the lines of what had once existed. One could without much of a stretch view them in transit towards Pozhikkara and towards Kappil. The lake meets the ocean and in the middle of a little stretch of street which isolates them can be seen on way. The all-encompassing perspectives are stunning in the event that you decide on an elevated view, not from the sky but rather from the mountain patios arranged north and east of the place.

Pozhikkara: This region – part of South Paravur has great significance where the sea and backwater meets and form estuary. Nearby stands the Pozikkara Temple which has a great historical link and a palace where king and his subjects rest on, long ago. Near to this palace is the TS Canal where initiatives are taken to develop it in to a boating spot. This place gifts the real beauty of nature that is show of sunrise and sunset in the playful sky is a remarkable scene.

Polachira: This place is famous site for migratory birds, good for sightseeing, endowed with streams, landscapes and chain of coconut lagoons.

Thekkumbhagam: This is one of the most beautiful places by nature. It is also good for boating. Presently there is a boat club run by KTDC (Kerala Tourism Development Corporation) and a resort run by an industry. There are a couple of enterprises for coir producing. The Husk of coconut is prepared and made to strands and utilized as the primary crude material for coir producing. Floorco was the primary motorized coir creation unit in Asia. (Not working amid the field review in October 2012) There are not as much as twelve assembling units still in Paravur. More businesses, for example, cleansers and nourishment preparing plants work on a little scale premise in Paravur.

Activity Plan

1. To raise tourism as the financial work need

Direct logical investigations on effect of tourism on pay and work through Tourism Satellite Book keeping. Fortify the gathering of measurements on vacationer entries, traveler profile, use design and so forth. Lead mindfulness crusade through neighborhood bodies, Area Tourism Advancement Chambers, clubs and social associations. Get ready-short movies on the advantages of tourism and communicate in visual media and at unmistakable places, for example, railroad stations.

2. To seek after supportable tourism advancement with spotlight on Protection and Conservation of heritage

Access limit to all the vacationer focuses to direct the advancements likewise. Get Territory Improvement ready for all tourism goals and to manage the advancements appropriately. Include the network in arranging mindful building and advantages of sharing the tourism ventures and in usage phases of the considerable number of tasks acquired through active participation of locals.

3. To certify quality administrations in all segments of tourism

Urge units to redesign quality. Enhance implementation of existing enactment for this by different divisions. Instill a soul of administration among functionaries worried about tourism. Uphold enactment for the endorsement of tourism units, for example, convenience suppliers, eatery, visit administrators,

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 3s, (2020), pp. 1462-1468 traveler transport administrators, Ayurveda centers, houseboats, amusement focuses and so on. Administrations, for example, watercraft trips from the resort wharf (Voyage pontoon or punt vessel), Dusk pontoon trip, angling from the angling spot or from the watercraft, bird watching on the lake and stream, nearby industry visits, hire bicycles to explore the town, sun-bathing and swimming, strolling the picturesque coastline at Kappil, picnics, cultural performances , for example, Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Bharathanatyam, Kalaripayattu, Traditional Music and so forth, elephant riding, nourishing and bathing etc. can be arranged for the tourists. Developing traditional agricultural and livelihood activities. This helps in improving the people’s life and moreover be an attraction for tourists. Examples are duck farming, oyster collection, pisciculture, horticulture etc. Promotion of mangroves will help to prevent tidal surges and provide a site for fish breeding, green belting and gabion structure to prevent tidal surges, sea plane services can be included. Stalls can be started to sell handicrafts made using coconut shell, coir etc. to the tourists. Home stays can also be encouraged.

4. To make and create foundation through private Area

Guarantee withdrawal of Government from direct running of all tourism business exercises. Urge private speculators to profit credits from monetary foundations in vast scale framework ventures, including kudumbasree units for unattractive nourishment.

5. To create Wellbeing Tourism

Ayurveda, the old Indian exploration of recapturing and keeping up the healthy wellbeing of the psyche and body, is still persistently honed in its conventional virtue in Kerala. Individuals from different parts of India and abroad come to Kerala to appreciate the advantages of ayurvedic treatment utilizing natural home grown arrangements and oils and return alleviated and revived. Diets, oil showers, steam showers, rubs, and so forth are endorsed, for the most part in mix, for the alleviating and stimulating treatments that give ideal help with no symptom. There ought to likewise be a routine with regards to Yoga, guided by an all-around qualified and experienced Yoga Ace who will experience the act of this old Indian investigation of finish prosperity of the psyche and body. While Ayurveda fixes with medicine and diets, Yoga supplements with reflection and activities.

Anticipated outcome Sustainable-responsible tourism is one of the important means to attain development. It’s a flourishing industry and has the distinction of being the largest industry in the world as it is thought about the quickest developing business sector in the tourism business, which enables to make an assortment of value tourism item that is naturally supportable, monetarily practical and socially and mentally worthy. It gives a concept that one should see the nature as god and protect her from harmful effects like global warming, pollution, loss of biodiversity, scarcity of water etc.

Conclusion Eco tourism is an intentional travel to normal regions to comprehend the social and common history of condition, taking consideration not to modify the respectability of the biological system, while delivering monetary open doors that make protection of regular assets valuable to traditional community. It gives a concept that one should see the nature as god and protect her from harmful effects like global warming, pollution, loss of biodiversity, scarcity of water etc. Even though South Paravur has significance importance for sightseeing, tourists are less in number. Most of the tourists are day visitors. The tourist’s presence is low due to unpopularity and discouragement of publicity. Natives have to be educated on humanitarian principles and various languages to capture others mind and should be given awareness on treating people and protecting lands. Attitude towards social

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 29, No. 3s, (2020), pp. 1462-1468 beings should be of good mannerism so that a healthy social relationship is maintained. Major problem faced here is area encroachment; this is the main factor leading to unpopularity of this place. As South Paravur being a nature given gift for tourists, Government should take initiative in developing ecotourism. They should promote tourism in a way that everyone including local people can utilize, like promotion of pedal boats, local boats, coracle boats, local resorts with traditional food items instead of star hotels and house boats; establishment of waste management and sewage treatment, introducing public toilets, ban of plastic products, promotion of cleaning service units are to be met to exercise sustainable responsible tourism. This enables more attraction of tourists and reduces pollution. Expenditures met by every field should consider all types of people, so that everyone can utilize and access it. The private resorts should have Govt. support such that everyone can utilize these resorts at cheap rate. In general everyone should work behind this project for everybody’s joy and this initiative would change South Paravur to one of the famous tourism area unless further initiatives and practices are been promoted. Its excellent shorelines, water breadths and basic local society seeking after customary methods for occupation like coir- production, hard stuff tapping, paddle-vessel angling, and so forth., make it a perfect place for ecological and social tourism, other than having the generally recognized possibilities of shoreline tourism and wellbeing tourism. The healthy and interesting environment of the area is sufficient to restore the body, revive the psyche and revive the spirit of the visitor. Besides water travels and viewing the exercises of the anglers, one can go angling themselves in the backwaters. One can appreciate an elephant ride, occupied with water sports, go on short treks to the close-by spots of premium, visit a coir making unit and take simultaneously, visit an adjacent church, sanctuary or mosque, particularly if there is a celebration going on, or, in other words amid the late spring. Thus reflecting South Paravur as an embodiment of sustainable responsible tourism hotspot.

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