Wayanad Calling rally

The people of Kerala have learnt their lesson from irresponsible and unregulated tourism, said K R Vanchishwar, President of Wayanad Tourism Organisation (WTO) on Thursday.

Speaking to the media, he said that to ensure the state does not witness another devastation like the Kerala floods, WTO and the state tourism department are now imposing stricter regulations on hotels, resorts and other stakeholders. Construction of high rises has been banned and buildings have been limited only to two floors.

An audit report of every site and destination needs to be conducted. The government and other stakeholders are also identifying new destinations for mass tourism. A regulation has also been put in place for wildlife tourism and safari jeeps.

While saying that Wayanad district was not badly affected by the floods, he said that it still brought a drop of 60-70% in tourism footfall. In the last three to four months Wayanad alone has faced a financial loss of around Rs 10-15 crore. Tourism is the biggest revenue generator for Kerala and Wayanad.

To once again invite tourists to the hilly district, they have organised a ‘Wayanad Calling’ Rally on October 6. Starting from The Lalit at 6 am, the rally will culminate at Wayanad passing through Mysuru Road and Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

The rally will comprise 40 superbikes and 25 jeeps. There is also room for spot registration. He asserted that there will be no compromise on the safety of tourists.