Kerala The Model State

Location

- Title = comes from geographic isolation  Kerala enclosed by westerly mountain range [Western Ghats]. - Keralites, as they are known, call Kerala “God’s Own Country”. - Mountains = cause rainshadow over Tamil Nadu --> Kerala remains vibrant green --> Result = “god’s favor” superstition

- Kerala’s ecology = extremely vibrant/diverse --> Simply: Very Green. - Reason: Rain from coastal location + trapped monsoon due to Mt. Range. -Example of unique ecosystems = Silent Valley National Park, Kerala --> Undisturbed rainforest area of India, home to incredible eco-diversity. -Thus  Kerala’s attraction = ecological abundance --> not man- made, but natural, beauty

-However -> Kerala’s biggest attraction = ‘Backwaters’. --> Kerala = houses many freshwater inland lakes. -Coastal proximity + inland lakes = make Kerala perfect resort material --> huge tourist attraction. -Idyllic geographical factors, thus, cause a huge boom in the resort Industry within Kerala --> plausible = unsustainable development. Above: Tourist resort on Kerala Backwaters.

Transportation - Kerala transportation = highly efficient -- > houses 3 international airports, allowing tourists from around the world, and within India, easy access. - In fact --> Indian low-cost domestic air transport growth = spectacular --> Paris Air-Show, 2005, IndiGO bought 100 A320s [6 billion $] - Growth of Indian airlines sector surpassed, globally, only by China.

- Additionally --> Transportation on the ground includes: buses, taxis and rickshaws. - Cost of transport = extremely cheap --> rickshaws = reliable transportation for as cheap as 1 dollar [50 rupees]. -Public bus system = very useful, though unfrequented by tourists --> taxis = most common choice of transport. -Lastly = intricate railway system spreads all throughout India, and through Kerala - -> simplifies travel even further.

Trends - Kerala = known as the Model State --> exhibits very odd trends. Development/Economic Trends: - Extremely high Human Development Index [highest in India] + most progressive education/health system in India.  high literacy + high life expectancy--> on par with the West. - Contrastingly --> among poorest parts of India --> quality of life = very low --> economic growth = staggered. - This puzzling situation = dubbed “The Kerala Model” --> economic growth, and development, may not go hand in hand --> Thus, is Kerala a pity or a miracle?

_clarke/600%20kerala%20life%20expecta ncy.png

Touristic Growth Trends: Tourism Industry Growth Rate: No. of Jobs from Tourism: % annually693,000 (2003) 2 million (2012) With such rapid growth, fear of an unsustainable future continue to grow..

Impacts and Sustainability of Tourism

Positive

Negative Social/Cultural

Environmental: Beaches jpg

30.jpg

content/uploads/2009/09/KeralaBeachVarkala-400x600.jpg

Environmental: Houseboats

s/01/22/1f/c2/kerala.jpg Economic

Sustainability Solutions