The Business Line 20.11.2009
Kerala backwaters listed as one of world’s greatest places
| Rajasthan and Agra also figure in National Geographic list. |
Kerala has been featured in the magazine for the second time in the last one decade. In October 1999, it held Kerala as one of the 10 most beautiful ‘Paradises Found.’
– K.K. Mustafah 
Something to behold: A young tourist from abroad at the wheel of a houseboat in the backwaters of Alappuzha.
S. Anil Radhakrishnan
Thiruvanathapuram, Nov. 19
Kerala Tourism has done it again. The National Geographic Traveler has listed the placid backwaters of Kerala as one of the 133 ‘World’s Greatest Places’.
Besides Kerala, two other popular tourist destinations in the country – Rajasthan and Agra – also figure in the list. “God’s Own Country” has got a listing above Agra City that hosts three iconic world heritage sites of Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.
The reputed magazine has listed Rajasthan in the 19th slot, Kerala backwaters 23rd and Agra city at 30th position based on the sixth annual survey of destination stewardship conducted by National Geographic Society’s Centre for Sustainable Destinations.
Second listing
Kerala has been featured in the magazine for the second time in the last one decade. In October 1999, it held Kerala as one of the 10 most beautiful ‘Paradises Found’ and recommended it for the ‘Tour of a Lifetime’. The results of the survey have been featured in the latest issue of the magazine. A total of 437 experts made up the panel for destinations rated survey.
“The ‘places rated list’ survey is not a popularity contest. It is an assessment of authenticity and stewardship, evaluating the qualities that make a destination unique and measuring its ‘integrity of place’,” the magazine said.
The places were evaluated using six customary criteria – environmental and ecological quality; social and cultural integrity; condition of historic buildings and archaeological sites; aesthetic appeal; quality of tourism management; and outlook for the future.
Authorities cautioned
It has noted that “the lakes, rivers, and canals in this South Indian State, which visitors ply aboard houseboats, present a unique travel and cultural experience.” It has sounded a word of caution for the tourism authorities of the State by stating that ‘the number of boats is now so large’ that environmental degradation is feared.
One of the panellists has noted that “while major centres like Alappuzha are changing, the backwater canals are a place apart. The key issues are volume of use (hundreds of houseboats) and contamination. Some new resorts and reed houseboats try to reflect traditional styles, and it is possible to have a very relaxing vacation away from more noisy places on the canal system. Most of the water access is run by local entrepreneurs.”
“Environment plays an important role in Kerala, particularly for agricultural conditions. The history is strong here, since this was the launching point of European influence. A gentle society and a relaxed pace, with an emphasis on the region’s architecture” is what another panellist had to say on the backwaters.
‘Some new resorts and reed houseboats try to reflect traditional styles, and it is possible to have a very relaxing vacation away from more noisy places on the canal system’, one of the panellist noted.
Another panellist has referred to the backwaters as “one of South India’s well-kept secrets.” Sometimes, organised tours give the impression of being a little voyeuristic, taking away the privacy of the people living around the backwaters, he added.