THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Caravanning is the buzzword now. Kerala Tourism’s ‘Keravan Kerala’, launched amid the pandemic, is finding a good response. As many as 440 stakeholders have already registered for running tourist caravans, while 147 have registered for setting up caravan parks.
As of now, only one caravan park — in Wagamon — has been opened. It is being celebrated by the traveller community, with bookings till May 15 already filled. While one park has been set up at Kulukkapara in Wayanad, another is being readied in Malampuzha, Palakkad. Naveen Mohan, vice-president, Citrine Hospitality Ventures Private Ltd, says ever since the caravans have been launched, there has been no shortage of bookings. The firm was the first to launch caravan tourism in Wagamon.
“We have done 13 trips till now and, on almost all days, we have been booked fully,” says Naveen, adding that the privacy and uniqueness of caravanning lures the crowd. The caravan park in Wayanad will be operational in a week. The one at Malampuzha has been christened Kava Eco Camp and Caravan Park. It is being built to accommodate six big and four small caravans.
“The caravan park has been named after the Kava viewpoint in Malampuzha reservoir. The area has not been explored much, and the whole aim is to enable travel to less-explored destinations,” says Sajeev Kurup, owner of the upcoming 1.25-acre park in Malampuzha. “In about six months, 250 caravans are expected to be operational.
There are many remote destinations, such as Nelliyampathy, where there are limited stay options. People are tired of sitting in their homes and don’t want to confine themselves to a room when they travel.” In Wayanad, Clippy started journeys in his caravan four years ago, when he got himself one such vehicle. “I was intrigued by the caravan. But it was only during the Covid lockdown that I understood its benefits.
One of the advantages is that you can park it anywhere and start exploring the place,” says the owner of ‘Clippy’s Caravan’ park in Sulthan Bathery. Abraham George, CMD, Intersight Tours and Travels, says, “We are all waiting for the vehicles to arrive.
In about six months, the caravans will be operational across the state. The whole concept is to focus on lesser-explored destinations, adventure travel.” Wayanad DTPC secretary Ajesh K G says several persons have applied to set up caravan parks. “We have visited 16 locations as of now. It is basically a low-cost investment when compared with setting up a hotel,” he says.