Government had asked NIWS to promote leisure water sporting segment
Tourists carry out kayaking on Punnamada lake. (Photo: DC)
ALAPPUZHA: The leisure water sports plan, which was declared by the Tourism Department in February last, is gaining little momentum in the State. The plan was introduced to promote leisure-water sporting linked to its fast emerging adventure and water tourism segments.
As part of the plan the Government had asked the National Institute of Water Sports (NIWS) in Goa, an ‘apex’ body for training, education, consultancy and research to promote the leisure-water sporting segment in the country to work out a detailed project report on this.
Declaring the plan on February 10 last year, the then Tourism Director Rani George said the department was expecting the report within two months. “After that we will obtain the policy clearance and start its implementation in a step-by-step manner,” she said.
A senior official in the Tourism Department said the NIWS was asked to submit the report. But the plan was not properly implemented. “The department is still striving hard to tap the potential of leisure-water sporting connected to the long sea coast and network of backwaters, canals and rivers”, the official said.
The State’s assessment was that it had good scope for a wide range of waters porting activities like windsurfing, kayaking and canoeing. Kerala’s ethnic sporting culture like snake boat racing could also be factored into the plans.
“The department had also planned that the activities could be linked to houseboat tourism on the western side and adventure tourism which has its focus on hill stations lying towards the eastern part of the State, which could offer comprehensive packages to foreign as well as domestic holiday makers”, the official said.
“The plan covers a range of water sport disciplines such as life saving, boat handling, sailing, windsurfing, water skiing, scuba diving, river rafting and kayaking. Apart from established water-front destinations in Kerala like Punnamada, Ashtamudi, Kumarakom and Bakel, more suitable spots have been identified for leisure-water sporting. But we have not got any direction from the Tourism Department in this regard so far”, said District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) Secretary C.Pradeep.
( Source : dc )
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