Hello, friend,
About ten days ago, I got back from an eight-day trip to India that kind of blew my mind. I was on the south coast in Kerala, a state with a population of 34 million, to look at how the government there manages tourism, which accounts for 11 percent of the state's GDP. Here's what blew my mind: during eight full days' worth of interviews, site visits and general exploring, I didn't meet a single person who had a single negative thing to say about the tourism industry.
Of course I realize that, because I'm usually approaching people as a journalist, I don't always get people's unvarnished opinions. But the enthusiasm that I saw for tourism seemed very genuine indeed. I kept hearing the same things: Tourism brings income to rural villages; it supports local farmers and craftworkers; and it provides jobs for a lot of people.
Take Sabu, for instance, the man pictured above. Since he left his position in the Indian Army, Sabu has earned his livelihood working as a tour guide in his hometown of Aymanam, a quiet village on the banks of Lake Vembanad that was among the first spots chosen by the government of Kerala for its Responsible Tourism pilot projects. That was more than a decade ago; since then, Sabu has been helping visitors (myself included) learn to weave rope from coconut fiber; climb palm trees (no joke); make mats from palm fronds; and identify the plants that produce spices like turmeric, ginger and nutmeg.
But that's just one small example. I'm excited to share more of what I saw and experienced in Kerala in an upcoming podcast episode for AFAR Media as well as (I hope) in the book. In the meantime, if you're thinking of planning a trip to the Indian coast, hit me up! I have a ton of recommendations for you.
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