Leveraging the innovative solutions for enhancing the tourism experience by onboarding the State’s flourishing start-up ecosystem, Kerala Tourism in association with Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) will set up workation/start-up pods, caravan parks, and tech-based sanitary solutions. Start-up pods will blend scenic accommodations with co-working facilities to cater to the growing demand for remote work opportunities in picturesque settings. The Tourism department on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with KSUM as part of integrating the tourism sector with tech-based solutions.
The first start-up pod in the State is likely to come up at Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram, according to officials. According to Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas, “This financial year will see technology-dominated innovations in the tourism sector, and this MoU will act as a catalyst in that direction.” The partnership will also help develop attractive tourism products and present them across the globe with the help of innovative ideas and technologies.
The MoU aims at setting up an innovation centre, which is also the first such initiative in the country. One of the key objectives of the partnership is the promotion of caravan tourism, by establishing modern, well-equipped caravan parks, to attract both domestic and foreign tourists by offering a unique travel experience in line with global trends.
According to KSUM CEO Anoop Ambika, “We are planning on three projects initially, Caravan Trails, an app where everyone can pitch in with less explored places in a region that has the potential of tourism for the benefit of caravan tourists. Secondly, the start-up pods which aim to attract tech-crowd by providing fully facilitated pods in scenic locations to promote a better workation experience. The third is to find tech-based solutions for better public restroom facilities,” said Mr. Anoop.
The partnership between the Tourism department and KSUM also underscores the importance of sustainable solutions by focusing on eco-friendly sanitation systems and deploying tech-enabled cleaning mechanisms. It also envisions the introduction of AI-powered multilingual information kiosks to provide seamless and accessible assistance to tourists for a well-informed and convenient travel experience.
The creation of a Hospitality and Tourism Innovation Centre is another key feature, aimed at nurturing innovative solutions tailored to the tourism sector. This centre will act as a catalyst for start-ups to develop and deploy technologies that enhance operational efficiency and customer engagement within the industry.
Published – January 22, 2025 08:04 pm IST
