Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas has said that the rural economy of Wayanad district would be strengthened by promoting tourism projects in rural areas.
Addressing local body chiefs in the district through a video conferencing, Mr. Riyas said that the government was planning to promote a tourism based on the historical, heritage and cultural significance of the district.
The meeting was convened to discuss the tourism potential of rural areas in the hill district.
Sustainable tourism based on the overall development of all sections of people, including the tribal and backward sections, would be more suitable for the district, Mr. Riyas said.
“As Wayanad has a vast untapped tourism potential in rural areas, prominence should be given to develop rural destinations”, Mr. Riyas said, adding that if such destinations were developed, it would provide many job opportunities for the local people.
Such a move would help the local communities to keep their destination clean and would make the district tourism-friendly, Mr. Riyas said.
The chiefs of 29 civic bodies presented details on various local places to be developed as tourism destinations under the civic bodies.
Mr. Riyas directed District Collector Adeela Abdulla to submit a blueprint of the new tourism destinations to be developed in the district after compiling the presentations of the civic body chiefs.
