THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Kerala, popular for its tranquil beaches, lush landscapes and serene backwaters, is now carving a niche for itself in the realm of astro/astronomy tourism and ‘glamping’ (glamorous camping). Various parts of the state are now dotted with luxurious accommodation units designed to offer comfort and unique experiences for stargazers, astro enthusiasts and travellers.
Glamping, a rapidly growing trend in Kerala, offers tourists spacious and luxurious tented suites in tea estates, tree houses and lush greenscapes, letting them experience unspoilt natural beauty of the locality and allowing them to take in the night sky without sacrificing comfort. The glamping sites, often situated in remote areas away from light pollution, provide an ideal setting for stargazing and connecting with nature, say stakeholders.
Munnar, Vagamon, Wayanad, and Kannur, renowned for their natural beauty, are now also gaining recognition for their unmatched conditions suited for stargazing. “We are offering glamping units with a 360 degree view. It’s a bubble stay made out of a transparent balloon. Though many love camping, families and senior citizens often avoid such tented accommodation because of various reasons and inconveniences. Glamping sites are different and offer the same experience as camping but with all luxuries and comfort. We have six units and all of them are booked in advance round the year,” said Althaf R, general manager of Luxeglamp, a bubble glamping site in Munnar.
“For watching the night sky and star formations, we are offering telescopes and skywatching equipment in our units,” Althaf added.
In view of the booming trend, the government is gearing up to feature astronomy tourism as a key feature of Kerala Tourism. “Stargazing and night sky watching is a global travel trend and we want tourists around the globe to know that Kerala too offers unique celestial experiences,” said a senior official with the tourism department. “Our aim is to tap into this trend by identifying destinations with clear skies and setting up viewing decks with equipment for skywatching,” the official said.
Astrotourism park sanctioned at Payyanur
“The possibilities for setting up such unique stays will be explored at properties owned by KTDC. Our aim is to support the stakeholders by promoting astrotourism as one of Kerala’s attractions,” the official said.
Giving a major thrust to astrotourism, the state government has sanctioned an astrotourism park at Payyanur in Kannur. “The place is frequented by astro enthusiasts and skywatchers. When unique celestial events happen, scores of tourists and enthusiasts come here to get a clear view. Hence, we decided to set up a proper astro park here,” said Payyanur MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
The plan is to set up a park with accommodation facilities so that people can stay and watch the night sky. Around Rs 4.5 crore have been earmarked for phase I of the project.
The tourism department is also gearing up to bring classification and guidelines for such glamping units. “We don’t have a classification for glamping sites now. As it is the new trend, we will introduce classification for such facilities,” said an official.