Kerala for All conclave: Kerala urged to build world-class accessibility model in tourism

Kerala should focus on a few destinations, build standards that match the best in the world, infuse technology, and partner with stakeholders to create a world-class accessibility model, said Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

He was speaking at the session ‘Vision Kerala for All: Shaping the Future of Kerala Tourism’ at the two-day conclave ‘Kerala for All – Tourism Without Barriers’, jointly organised by Kerala Tourism and The Hindu Group, in Kochi on Sunday.

Mr. Billa said that although every project of the Central and State governments has accessibility provisions written into it, implementation is not happening. He stressed the need to think about accessibility beyond hard infrastructure and to incorporate assistive technologies powered by artificial intelligence. He also emphasised the importance of building a culture of accessibility at the school level so that youngsters are socially sensitised.

“What characterises Kerala society are virtues such as compassion and equality, with social mobilisation at its core. The Kerala psyche is hardwired to implement universal accessibility. Kerala has made progress in this field, but much more needs to be done. Accessibility should be integrated into policy, and infrastructure must be built with accessibility as part of every project. Kerala needs to develop a truly world-class model that offers differently-abled visitors a seamless experience,” Mr. Billa said.

Calls for a movement

Supporting Kerala’s image as an inclusive and accessibility-friendly destination, Mr. Biju said the effort must go beyond tourism sites and destinations where the entire society embrace it. “Just like Responsible Tourism, accessibility should become a movement across the State. People everywhere must be sensitised, equipped with the necessary skills, and supported with the right infrastructure so that Kerala emerges as one of the best states in terms of universal accessibility, a model we can showcase to the world,” he said.

Highlighting Kerala’s compassionate society and strong grassroots participation, Mr. Biju emphasised the need for a policy-led initiative rather than a project-led approach. “There is no point in making just one or two rooms differently-abled friendly. Every room and every space, including parks, heritage sites, beaches, backwaters, and houseboats, must be planned to ensure they are disabled-friendly and accessible,” he added.

K. Biju, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, was the other participant. S. Anandan, Resident Editor, Kerala, The Hindu, moderated the session.