KOCHI: As Kochi hopes to welcome foreign tourists after a Covid-induced break of nearly one-and-a-half-years, homestay operators in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry call for conservation of heritage sites which will help bolster tourism activities. The Kerala Homestay and Tourism Society (HATS) has written to Ernakulam District Collector Jafar Malik, calling his attention to 16 heritage sites in Fort Kochi and Mattanchery that are close to ruin.
In 2019, globally renowned travel guide Lonely Planet had named Kochi among the top 10 cities in the world to be visited in 2020. The acclamation was expected to boost the travel and tourism industry in Kochi, which was instead hit hard by Covid. “Lonely Planet had referred to various heritage sites in Kochi in their list of must-visit places for 2020.
However, we could identify around 16 renowned heritage sites that may no longer exist if authorities continue to hesitate to begin the conservation initiatives. St Francis Church is a prime example. It is believed that the body of Vasco da Gama was cremated at this church. Due to the lack of proper conservation, water enters the church compound when it rains,” said M P Sivadathan, director of HATS.
The heritage sites that require urgent conservation initiatives are Odatha Botanical Garden, Dutch Cemetery, Malabar Jews Cemetery, Parade Ground, St Peter’s Church, Ariyittuvazhcha Kovilakam, Hari Shenoy’s Bungalow, Chinese Fishing Nets, streets like Bazar, Kalvathy, Jew Town and Palace Road, Vasco Da Gama Square, District Heritage Museum, Dutch Palace, Chempittapally Mosque, and the settlement colonies.
The HATS has requested the district administration to form a Kochi Heritage Tourism Development Authority that can coordinate the conservation of heritage sites in Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, Thoppumpady, Edakochi, Kumbalangi and Chellanam. “Kochi is the most visited tourism destination in Kerala. A lot of homestays are operational here. Foreign tourists come here for its rich heritage value. The conservation of heritage sites should be the first priority to enhance tourism activities here. Currently, some of these heritage sites are with government bodies and private parties. A coordinated effort is urgent,” Sivadathan said.