THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major move to make tourist spots women friendly, safer, cleaner and more sustainable, the tourism department will officially roll out its Green Marshal initiative on October 9. The plan is to create a local workforce to monitor tourist destinations and respond to problems faced by visitors.
As part of the initiative, the department will initially deploy Green Marshals at selected tourist destinations, with major thrust on destination upkeep, visitor assistance, safety monitoring, cleanliness, waste management and environmental protection.
Tourism Minister P C Vishnunadh told TNIE that the initiative was conceived to address the lack of an effective local mechanism to monitor tourist destinations on a day-to-day basis. “What we intend to do is provide protection and support to tourists.
It is not just about protection; it is also about maintenance. All these aspects will come under the initiative; whether waste management is being properly carried out, whether the destination is kept clean and whether the facilities are being properly maintained,” he said.
The minister said the safety component assumes greater importance with the changing nature of tourism, particularly the rise in women travelling alone. “There are a lot of solo travellers, and there are many women among them. Naturally, when they come to a destination, we have to ensure that they feel safe and secure.”
He said even a single untoward incident could have consequences beyond the individual case and affect Kerala’s image as a tourism destination. Those selected would undergo proper training, which will cover not only environmental and destination-management responsibilities but also how they should interact with tourists.
“They will be given proper training, especially how they should behave and interact with tourists. There should not be complaints that a person responsible for assisting tourists behaved improperly,” he said. The primary objective of the initiative is to find out the gaps in the destination and ensure basic facilities remain functional besides assisting tourists and aiding in emergencies.
People aged 20 to 40 can apply for the positions, with SSLC as the minimum educational qualification. In the first phase, the initiative will generate jobs for around 180 people.
Selected ones to undergo training
The primary objective in the initiative is to find out the gaps in the destination and ensure basic facilities remain functional besides assisting tourists and aiding in emergencies. Those selected would undergo proper training, especially on how they should interact