Destination wedding, G20 meeting…Kumarakom in the spotlight

Kottayam: Kumarakom, a popular tourist spot, is now becoming a sought-after locale for destination weddings as well. People from various parts of the country and within the state have been heading to Kumarakom to hold weddings, according to the resort owners.

A preferred destination for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism, Kumarakom has been witnessing a heavy rush since September. Alumni reunions of several reputed colleges were also held here over the past few days. In addition to these, Kumarakom is becoming popular as an ideal location for business tourism.

Kumarakom to host G20 meeting

Kumarakom is in the spotlight after it has been selected for a meeting of the senior officers from various countries in March, ahead of the G20 Summit. This is one of the initial meetings to be held after India took over the G20 presidency.

A grand convention centre is being set up at the Waterscape Resort of the KTDC for the meeting. The construction of the convention centre, that can accommodate 600 people, is under way on the banks of the backwaters. A total of 300 rooms, including 40 rooms of the KTDC and 260 rooms at private hotels in Kumarakom, have also been booked.

After this meeting, it is expected that Kumarakom would get to host other major international events.

Tourists heading to Kumarakom

Tourists from across the country are now flocking to Kumarakom in large numbers and are ready to spend money here, according to K Arun Kumar, the secretary of the Chamber of Vembanad Hotels and Resorts (CVHR). This is a reflection of the receding impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 21 hotels and resorts that are members of the Association are situated in Kumarakom. This includes 3-star to five-star hotels, each of which have an average of 50 to 60 rooms and several of these hotels also have party halls that can accommodate 50 to 1000 people. Certain hotels also plan to build new convention centres.

The proximity to the Cochin international airport, Kottayam and Cherthala railway stations, and the accessibility by inland waterways make Kumarakom an ideal choice for tourists. The monsoon tourism, that usually attracts tourists from the Gulf countries, did not see much inflow last year, but the hotel owners are hopeful that the situation would change for the better this year.

With solar power, wastewater treatment, recycling and plastic ban, Kumarakom is also setting an example in sustainable tourism. There are also packages for responsible tourism here. Certain hotels have also put forth suggestions for increasing the usage of e-auto rickshaws.

Demand for better roads

However, demands continue to be raised for a permanent solution for the pathetic condition of the roads leading to Kumarakom and power outages. As the meeting ahead of the G-20 Summit will be held in Kumarakom, the infrastructure is expected to improve.