World Responsible Tourism Awards 2020 & Other Recognitions

WTM — World Responsible Tourism Awards — A 2020 Winner in the year of Covid 19, for addressing the challenge of COVID-19 

Yes, ILLIKKALAM Lakeside Cottages, Kumarakom in Kerala is “Commended”

ILLIKKALAM Lakeside Cottages, started responsible tourism activities around 23 years back with the support of local people and created many direct and indirect local employments since then. The majority of them are women from the local community. ILLIKKALAM Lakeside Cottages, is enlisted in the quarantine accommodation providers list by the Govt of Kerala on 12th May 2020. Thus, we have taken responsibility and addressed the challenge of COVID-19, by providing quarantine accommodation for more than 72 persons as on to date.

 We provide our guests, immunity drinks, made out of ayurvedic medicines and spices to boost their immunity. We haven’t retrenched any of our employees nor reduced any of our employee’s salary during lockdown and since then. We are contributing our efforts to control the challenge of COVID-19, in our village, by Offering the local people, paid quarantine facilities, at discounted tariff, providing them financial assistance to those who are quarantined in their home and also arranging them medicines and guidance.

Why should the business, destination or organisation be commended? Please tell us what they are doing, and what impact they are having (up to 500 words)

Introduction

ILLIKKALAM Lakeside Cottages, is engaged in the field of responsible tourism activities since 1997, mainly focussing on providing budget accommodation and providing local food and local soft drinks from coconut and passion fruit grown in our garden and from local farmers. Mrs Susan Salim  a woman entrepreneur with her team of eight local women manages this small property .

First local family to start Responsible Tourism Initiative

We are the first local family of Kumarakom, who initiated responsible tourism practices in this village. We promoted backwater tourism among local people in Kerala by starting our business. This  helped the promotion of underdeveloped backwaters of the region. 

We were instrumental in spreading, educating and inspiring local people to adopt   good practice, to do responsible tourism initiative, as businesses.  This contributed more jobs and enhanced the better living of the local communities. This helped to maintain and sustain the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. 

It had already created lot of direct and indirect employment; purchases are mainly from local people and guests are basically domestic tourists. Thus we the stake holders are creating rural employment, and that the majority of them are filled by the local community.

Promotion of Domestic Tourism

We are doing lot of promotion through social media for the promotion of domestic tourism, which is attracting more business from local market. Moreover, our promotions encouraged safe tourism which resulted in local travel and staycations. We provide information to guests about the local attractions, nearby tourism centres, cultural activities and local market, which created more direct and indirect opportunities for the local people to have a better life.

No retrenchment nor reduction of salary during lockdown

During the present time of Covid 19 pandemic, we haven’t retrenched any of our staff or reduced the salary of any of our staff, We still give them employment and they are comfortable in working with us. During the lockdown period also we have given them full salary. We have also given increment to our staff during the time of their renewal of their annual service contract.

ILLIKKALAM Lakeside Cottages, is enlisted in the quarantine accommodation providers list by the Govt of Kerala on 12th May 2020.

Thus we have taken responsibility and addressed the challenge of COVID-19, by providing quarantine accommodation for more than 72 persons as till date. We provide our guests, immunity drinks, from ayurvedic medicines and spices to boost their immunity. We are contributing our efforts to control the challenge of COVID-19, in our village, by offering the local people, paid quarantine facilities, at discounted tariff, providing them financial assistance to those who are quarantined in their home and also arranging them medicines and guidance. Thus we are doing service to the community by providing institutional quarantine facility as per the Standard Operating Procedure of Kerala State Govt & The Guidelines of Central Govt (SOP)

We are contributing our efforts to control the infection, in our village

We have taken responsibility and addressed the challenge of COVID-19 by providing quarantine accommodation at discounted rates to economic and socially weaker section our society  Thus we are helping our local community to convey the importance of Self Distancing and helping economic and socially weaker sections of our society by providing  safe quarantine,  and instrumental in helping the community to control the Corona Pandemic.

Solar Power

We use solar powered energy for all of our lights, fans, fridge, deep freezer, motors and for water needs.

Organic Farm

We have a small farm where we grow Papaya, Tapioca, Vegetables, Fruit Trees, especially vertical farming of Passion Fruits etc. we do make minimum 2 dishes per day for the guests, from the vegetables of our farm. We encourage and guide others to have organic farming.

We advise our guests to have more self-responsibility

We advise our guests to save water and power. We have initiated digital and contactless communication by forming WhatsApp group with each room guest, staff and management, for effective communication. We have facilitated good pathways and trolleys so that the guests can take care of their luggage. We have proper foot path and walkers’ path for the guests to exercise.

Self Employed, Self-Managed Family Run Business

My family is fully involved in our business especially my wife Mrs Susan Salim is the Managing Partner and take the lead role in the day to day activities. Our daughter Bhavana, who is Chartered Accountant by profession and advise us in all the respects, Our Son Alex who is also Chartered Accountant by profession, who is involved in our marketing activities and the youngest son Martin who is appearing for his exam for the final of the exam of Chartered Accountant, he is helping us in our GST accounting  and myself is the consultant of ILLIKKALAM Lakeside Cottages.

We, Practices Responsible Tourism Activities since it started in 1997.We have 18 rooms and we employ 7 local permanent staff, out of that 4 are females, it is owned and managed by Mrs Susan Salim who hails from Kumarakom. We employ local staff only, all of our purchases are from local people or from the local market.

During the present time of Covid 19 pandemic, we haven’t retrenched any of our staff or reduced the salary of any of our staff, We still give them employment and they are comfortable in working with us. During the lockdown period also we have given them full salary.

Now we are providing Institutional Quarantine Facilities to Returnees from outside States and from other Countries, We are approved by the Govt of Kerala for this service. We are strictly following the Standard Operating Procedures instructed by the Kerala Govt for dealing with the Quarantined Guests, before the check in, during the check in, after the check in and after the check out.

We are contributing our efforts to control the infection, in our village

We are also taking the local quarantined guests at much discounted rate to help the people who are not affluent in our village. Thus we are helping our local community to convey the importance of Self Distancing and helping the local based not affluent returnees for safe quarantine, so that we are helping the community to control the Corona Pandamic.

What Activities should Be Undertaken by

Responsible Tourism Missions Activities

Responsible Tourism

Following are just our observations that you may consider for the drafting of the proposed Activities of RT Mission during the time of Covid19 and also during the post Covid19 period.

After the Flood on 2018 & During the Covid, again there was a boom in Tourism activities. But after the Covid and during the Covid the Life And Livelihood of the people are greatly affected.

Therefore, now protecting life is more important as now the question is whether to die of starvation or not?. We don’t know when we will come out of this pandemic!

*A) R T Mission can take the lead role in controlling the Covid Pandemic, as follows,*

1)Awareness building programs of Maintaining Covid Protocol

2)Awareness building of the usage of Face Mask, Face shield, Safe Distancing &
Hand Sanitisation.

3) Educate Immunity Building Classes to local people.

4)Educate the Guest and local people to maintain Covid Protocol in Houseboat, Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants, and in Public Places.

5)Precautionary measures against Covid

6)RT Mission should popularise maximum Awareness of Precautionary measures against Covid.

7)Management of Plastic

Quarantine Accommodation, and the Restaurants Parcel service generated more use of Plastic, therefore this menace to be handled properly by the Responsible Tourism Mission

*B)Rt Mission can look into, for Creating More Employments*

1)Use small Country Boats, driven by Self Help Women Groups, for Canal Cruising for Tourists

2) In Kumarakom Nalu Pank Houseboat Terminal, and other ViewPoints can be converted for this purpose. Then Tourism will be more decentralised

3) Women Self Help Group can take up the laundry of Hotels, Resorts & Restaurants

4) Women Self Help Group can manage Community Kitchen (Samoohya Adukkala, now it is termed as Buget Hotel (Budget Hotel)

It will create with the help of the Govt, much more employment can be generated.

5)RT Mission can take a good role in cleaning the tourism destination. It will generate more jobs for poor people also.

Other Awards and Honours To ILLIKKALAM Lakeside Cottages

1) Received The Award From The Chief Minister of Kerala, Honourable Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, On Behalf of Chamber of Vembanad Hotels & Resorts, Kumarakom, For Our Outstanding And Continuous Contributions To The Responsible Tourism Initiatives of Kumarakom Tourist Destination in 2017.

2) Certificate of Honour for the personal contributions in helping Kerala win the Received the Honor from the Tourism Department, Govt of Kerala, for the contributions in helping Kerala to win the prestigious UNWTO Ulysses Award 2013 for innovation in Public Policy and Governance, for the Responsible Tourism Project at Kumarakom. Together, We have made Kerala Proud.

3)Award for the dedicated service to the Tourism Industry from the Chief Minister of Kerala Shri Oommen Chandy, in 2014.

Susan salim