How state of Kerala got its tourism story right and wrong

Kerala Tourism LogoOver the next decade. the travel sector in the South Indian state of Kerala is expected to generate 750,000 new jobs. Already it earns close to $3.5 billion a year from tourism. Yet, writes Bahar Dutt, a conservation biologist and author of Green Wars: Dispatches From A Vanishing World, “many of its hot spots are in trouble, reeling under the pressure of too much tourism.”

In Brief
  • A 2006 study by the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies found that because of a tourism boom, the Kovalam beach received 2,000 visitors a day, exceeding the carrying capacity of the beach in terms of length and resources by over 40%.
  • A 2012 study for the Kerala State Pollution Control Board estimated that the houseboats were discharging 230,160 litres of waste water into Vembanad Lake each day, destroying all life within it over time.
In Depth
In the Future
Jeremy Smith
Jeremy Smithhttp://www.jmcsmith.com
Jeremy Smith is the editor and co-founder of Travindy. He is a writer and communications consultant working for a more responsible and sustainable tourism industry. He is the author of two books, writes a fortnightly blog on responsible tourism for World Travel Market, and provides consultancy to a wide range of companies and organisations, ranging from National Parks to individual hotels and tour operators.

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