Kochi (TAN): A delegation from Lithuania that visited the Kumbalangi model tourism village in south India’s Kerala state was impressed with the sustainable tourism project implemented in the tiny village.
The team visited the village as part of its plan to work with Kochi Corporation in three sectors — sustainable tourism, waste management and urban transport.
[ALSO READ: What do you know about Book Tourism?]
“The team is excited about the micro-level planning and implementation of projects that they hailed as a role model for sustainable tourism project in an urban area,” Rajan Chedambath, director of Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development, Kochi Corporation, told the Deccan Chronicle newspaper.
The visitors stayed at a homestay and were impressed by daily village activities such as coir-making, weaving coconut palm leaves and crab farming.
“Impressed by the local community’s involvement and how the tourism model boosted the local economy, the delegation from Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, wants to promote Kumbalangi village as well as Kerala tourism,” Chedambath added.
[ALSO READ: A step-by-step guide to get your Vietnam e-tourist visa]
The Kumbalangi village is located 15km from the port city of Kochi.
The Kumbalangi Integrated Tourism Village project was launched at the end of 2003. At the time, the Kerala tourism department website called the 15sqkm island “a model fishing village and tourism spot”.
