THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After promoting itself as a hub of Ayurveda, the state is now betting big on yoga. Taking a big step towards promoting its health and wellness tourism potential, the state will host a 10-day yoga ambassadors’ tour from June 13. The event, being organised jointly by Ministry of AYUSH, Kerala Tourism and Association of Tourism Trade Organisations, India (ATTOI), will be attended by yoga enthusiasts from more than 20 countries.
“The plan is to invite the attention of yoga enthusiasts across the world to Kerala. The event is expected to be attended by tour operators, wellness magazine representatives, yoga teachers and others. The event will be inaugurated by AYUSH minister Shripad Yesso Naik ,” said Anish Kumar, CEO, ATTOI.
According to Anish, an itinerary has been prepared for the international yoga enthusiasts and this includes a visit to state’s tourism hot spots like Kovalam, backwater cruise ride at Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam, Aranmula, Munnar, Muniyara Dolmens in Chinnakanal, Mattancherry Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue and others, a presentation of state’s traditional martial art Kalaripayattu and others.
An officer with the Department of Tourism said the highlight of the programme will be seminars on topics like Philosophical Foundations of Yoga and Science Behind Yoga, a visit to Sivananda Ashram and Vivekananda Rock at Kanyakumari and others.
“By organising such an event we are eyeing the twin objectives of establishing a yoga circuit in the state and familiarising the international audience about the state’s potentialities in health and wellness tourism. The total outlay of the programme is estimated at `72.25 lakh,” said the officer.
The state government had appointed Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS) as the nodal agency of the programme. “The ATTOI had approached the Department of Tourism to grant 50 per cent of the total expense in advance to make arrangements for delegate accommodation, travel, yoga conferences and others. But as ATTOI is a non-governmental agency, the Ministry had directed the department to nominate a nodal agency for the purpose of fund transfer and thus KATPS was appointed,” said said Manesh Bhaskaran, CEO of KATPS.