NEW GOVERNMENT
COMMENTARY
INTERVIEWS
SPECIALS
CHAT
ARCHIVES
SEARCH REDIFF

Kerala travel firms to 'pepper' schemes with 'black is beautiful' tours

D Jose in Thiruvananthapuram

With the fortunes of the pepper growers soaring high in the past three years, the commodity which is known as black gold is being sought to be projected as a spicy attraction for tourists.

A group of tour operators from Kozhikode in Kerala is trying to woo tourists to Malabar, the land of the world’s best pepper, during the plucking season.

Added to the pepper treat are visits to coffee plantations, spice highlands, ayurvedic centres, historic forts besides cultural and folk art performances.

The first attempt was made in a modest way last year by the Silk and Spice Travel and Communication which is promoted by Non Resident Indians. It has attracted several big players this year. The Kerala tourism department and a UK-based NRI, who owns a chain of restaurants in London, have joined the endeavour christened as Pepper Fest.

Pepper owed a lot to the past glory of Malabar. Ancient mariners like Vasco Da Gama had taken the rigorous route to India 500 years ago in search of pepper. Before him the Arabs, Chinese and Romans had thriving trade links with Malabar under the rule of Zamorins.

“Our idea is to revive this ancient interest in Malabar with pepper as the USP. With its natural splendor, rich bio-diversity, colourful history, art and culture, Malabar is a best venue for a travel trade festival,” said Silk and Spice managing director K P Mayan.

The millennium edition of the Pepper Fest has been positioned as an extension of the World Spice Congress to be held in Bombay in January 2000 in order to enable the delegates to visit the world's best pepper gardens in a leisure mood.

The festival, the first of its kind in India, would be held in different locations around Kozhikode from January 28 to February 1.

The visitors would be provided with opportunity to interact with pepper growers during their visits to the pepper gardens so that they can understand the intricate process of production and processing.

The main venue of the Pepper Fest-2000 would be an ethnic village-like setting. The stalls and cultural events are expected to be hosted at this venue. Interactive sessions with traditional artisans and village industries would be part of the itinerary. The recreated ethnic village would be a testimony to the traditional and varied architectural forms of Malabar, Mayan said.

There would be renditions of traditional art forms of Malabar by ethnic groups to embellish the evenings. The art forms are profiles of the beliefs and customs of the local populace, developed and perfected through centuries. Performance of these forgotten art forms and other visually enthralling events based on historical events along with interactive sessions with artisans and village industry would add colour to the festival, said Mayan.

A major attraction of the cultural events is the enactment of Mamankam festival held during the rule of the erstwhile rulers of Malabar -- Zamorins -- once in 12 years. A display of pomp and power, the last Mamankam festival was held in 1755 AD.

The full-scale re-enactment would feature over 200 trained exponents of the age- old traditional martial art form -- Kalaripayattu -- performing at the original location of the Mamankam -- on the banks of the historical river Nila.

The first edition of the festival held in January 1999 was lauded by many as one of the most eco-tourism ventures that provides opportunity to do business with leisure. “A festival of this kind will certainly promote sustainable eco-tourism with underlying benefits to basic economic sectors like agriculture," said Philip Frampton, a travel writer who attended the festival. Pat Chapmen, president of the International Curry Club observed that the festival underlined the intricate relationship between food and tourism.

Mayan said that the festival this time would have several new features like extension tours to Coorg, the coffee capital of Asia, and spice highlands of Malabar. “Our package comprises visits to spice plantations in the hilly district of Wayanad, ship-breaking unit at Beypore, sanctuary at Muthunga, Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala (one of the renowned centres of the Indian traditional system of medicine) and historic forts. Besides, an exhilarating trip to Kappad, where Vasco Da Gama arrived 500 years ago, is throw in,” Mayan said.

Mayan said that several travel men abroad had shown interest in collaborating with the venture.

T Haridas, who won this year’s Tourism Man Award of Destination Kerala, a tour magazine published from Thiruvananthapuram, has agreed to promote the festival in Europe. The London-based NRI is handling the Europe hub at the Malabar Junction in London.

The Silk and Spice would also be launching a campaign in the Middle East later this month. A company delegation would be leaving for Dubai soon in this connection.

“Our idea is to provide holiday options to the vast expatriate community. We have some special discounts and attractive schemes for Non Resident Indians who would take part in the festival. Air-India has agreed to provide discounts to tourists from Australia, the US and Europe,” said Mayan.

The Middle-East campaign would also strive to revive the ancient Arab ties with the Malabar, he added.

The tourism department has been making concerted efforts to promote the Malabar region following the improved air traffic from Middle East through Kozhikode Airport. The department has agreed to collaborate with the conduct of the festival from this year considering its immense scope for promoting eco-tourism. The Kerala government has been striving to promote Kerala as a major eco-tourism destination of the next millennium.

The state tourism department has already held two road shows in Delhi and Bombay and more in other north Indian cities are on the anvil.

K.Chandra Mohan, director, coporate affairs, Silk and Spice, said that the festival is an attempt to help Malabar, which was the cultural centre of Kerala, to regain the past glory through the theme of pepper.

Business

Kerala