The three-day international kayaking championship scheduled to commence on August 12 has caused quite a stir among the rural farm stay entrepreneurs and other tourism facility operators who consider it as a golden opportunity for winning some good customers and getting something off the ground. The previous editions of the championship, except those that were cancelled due to the pandemic, have been a rewarding experience for the small investors in the sector.
Kodenchery panchayat, which has the highest number of such quickly accessible facilities close to the water tourism spots, has already completed the first round of safety audit. A coordination committee is also working now to link prominent tourism facilities.
“For us, kayaking is not just something connected to water sports alone. Here, all are part of a river festival that will explore multiple areas such as tourism, village food, trekking, cultural activities, and get-togethers,” said a private farm stay facility operator in the panchayat.
Camping, off-roading
Tent camping and opportunities to enjoy off-road driving are some of the latest additions by complying with the Tourism department’s safety instructions. There are options to club together activities with the support of multiple tour operators and facility managers. Inter-district or inter-State tour operators are also likely to join for meeting kayaking fans from various countries.
“In our panchayat limits, 40 houses are ready with homestay or farm stay facilities. All of them are small entrepreneurs. Apart from these facilities, there will be options to stay in star-rated accommodations within the panchayat,” said Alex Thomas, president, Kodenchery panchayat. Apart from these openings, the villagers will have an opportunity to join in a food fest and an exhibition-cum-sale of village products, he added.
₹40 lakh
The expected cost for the three-day event is approximately ₹40 lakh. According to the grama panchayat authorities, ₹20 lakh will be given by the Tourism department. The district panchayat will also contribute ₹5 lakh. The rest of the fund will have to be mobilised through sponsorships, they added.
