With the immense potential to host water sports activities in Goshree isles remaining under utilised, the demand is rife that the State government, Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), and other agencies get their act together.
Despite being home to innumerable beaches and waterfront avenues, efforts during the past decade by the DTPC to develop a full-fledged beach-tourism circuit and water sports activities here failed to yield desired results.
“Water sports is now confined mostly to Munambam beach, after sea erosion left much of Cherai beach unusable for the activity. Beaches in Vypeen and other parts of the Goshree isles have the potential to host water sports. Efforts to introduce scuba diving turned futile, since many of the beaches have murky waters,” official sources said.
They spoke of difficulties in getting no objection certificates from government agencies to host such activities, although beaches at Kuzhipilly and Puthuvype had the potential. However, efforts are still under way to introduce water sports activities in a few of them.
A stakeholder associated with water sports in Munambam beach said there is good response from tourists, mainly those from other States, whereas those from within the State were rather reluctant to try them due to fear. “Many jobs and sports opportunities await those who excel in these,” he said.
Highlighting the prospects of the region to host an array of tourism projects in the State Legislative Assembly, K.N. Unnikrishnan, Vypeen MLA, recently sought the government’s attention to the coastal region’s potential to woo tourists. He further demanded that Kerala Tourism include Vypeen as a destination and host a water olympics, and also sought its inclusion in Muziris Heritage Project.
Mr. Unnikrishnan also sought steps to implement the long-pending oceanarium project in the region.
Efforts to popularise water sports at Kochi International Marina in adjacent Bolgatty Island did not work out, allegedly due to apathy by stakeholders and inadequate patronage.
