The specialists of the Tourism Industry are lesser known to the public due to the presence of specialised Tourism Professionals and Specialised Hospitality Organizations that are known in the Tourism Industry only and their specialized services are exposed and required mainly for International Tourists. There are unique Specialist Tour Operators, Specialized Tourism Professionals, and Specialized theme-based Accommodation facilities.
“Somatheeram Ayurveda Resort” is perhaps the pioneer in the Global Tourism Industry itself, in introducing the age-old indigenous Ayurveda incorporated with Tourism as a Unique Selling Product. “We are proud to claim that we have paved the way for a revolutionary debut. As a result, numerous Ayurveda Resorts are commenced inside and outside Kerala after our successful implementation and effective marketing of Ayurveda in the Global Market “, says Baby Mathew, the Founder-Chairman of “Somatheeram Ayurveda Group”.
Besides the existing Resorts and Hotels, providing a unique choice of services can attract lucrative International Tourists such as Micro-accommodative facilities like, Houses, Converted Bungalows, Homestays, Tented Accommodation in the Forests and Scenic Valleys add more charm.
“The folk of every other nationality reflect their own culture in their practices and expectations, thereby their demands are varied. Being the only Tour Operator, concentrating mainly on the Japanese Market in South India, it is our duty to meet their expectations in a Professional way, to sustain a continuous influx of quality tourists” says Bejoy Koshi, the CEO of “Dakshindia Destination Management Pvt Ltd”, a Cochin based Japanese Specialist Tour Operator. He adds “The Japanese Tourists wish less to drive, and want to reach back to their room by twilight. They are more into Monument Photography. Japanese are more prone to a mix of Japanese and Local Cuisine. Mostly they need Japanese-speaking accompanying Professional Tour Guides to Manage their whole Trip into a successful one”.
One can find very specialized Tour Operators that concentrate on handling specified Nationalities. Some Operators concentrate mainly on Adventure Tours, Wildlife Tours, Cycling Tours, Trekking Tours, etc. The Water Sports Specialists who “tame the waves of the Arabian Sea” have immense possibilities in the world of the Tourism industry. Caravan Tourism is now a novel Idea to the contemporary Kerala
To tap out the post-Covid era Tourists, Sejoe Jose, the Managing Director of Moksha Stays – a Marvel Group Venture, is now on a mission to promote such a micro-accommodative chain of 12 vacation homes in various Spots, each of them does not possess more than two to three rooms, which is undeniably an Innovative Tourism Concept. Sejoe with his vast industrial experience that spans over 25 years says “We are very keen in strictly maintaining their original Character, natural Eco-system, aesthetic surroundings and elegance of the past. Our aim is to provide a luxurious stay with unique experiences and cuisine of the area”.
Major Individual Specialists in the Tourism Industry are the Professional Guides. Professional Guides are the Academic Face of Indian Tourism. Regional Level Guides – RLGs are trained and authorized by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India whose area of operation is the entire South India. State Level Guides-SLGs belong to Govt of Kerala and they can offer their services all over Kerala. Among the unique Brigade of Professional Guides, there are a host of Specialists such as Foreign Language Specialists, Subject Experts, etc. Antony Varghese, an RLG is a Multi-Lingual Professional Guide, who speaks German, French, Italian, and Spanish fluently and whose dates are “hot cake” for major Tour Operators.
Santakumar, a Chennai-based Multi-lingual RLG is yet another Professional Guide that mainly handles specialized tours of elite French, Italian, and Spanish Tourists visiting South India. Only according to the availability of the dates of Sabu George – another Spanish-speaking RLG – did some Spanish and Latin American Tour Operators publish their Catalogues for selling their expensive Tours to South India.
Chameleon Reisen, a reputed German Tour Operator who caters to high-class German Tourists through their Indian counterpart Travel Corporation India Limited (TCI), a business entity of Thomas Cook, the largest Tour operator in India. With their carefully prepared Itineraries TCI primarily seeks the dates of Chris Joseph, a highly acclaimed German-speaking RLG who specializes in Cultural Tours and Christian Pilgrim Tours of South India. One of the writers of this article (Ajai Kumar K S) is yet another German Speaking RLG assigned often for the exotic and expensive Tours of DER TOUIRISTIK, another major principal German Agent of Go Vacation India Private Limited – the second entity of Thomas Cook. Ajai Kumar K S also specializes in assisting Foreign Journalists from leading International Journals and TV channels such as BBC, Bavarian TV, Malaysian TV, Japanese TV, German Radio, etc.
During the visits of Diego Maradona to India, it was through Alex Thomas, another Spanish-speaking RLG, Maradona has conversed with Kerala. Alex Thomas is the Executive Member of the Tourist Guides Federation of South India (TGFSI) and chairs the position of Hon Secretary of SIRGAK (South India Regional Guides’ Association of Kerala
Both Charles from Chennai and Rojin V M based in Cochin are French-speaking RLGs who are now specializing in the Outbound Market too – accompanying the Indian Tourists to European Countries. Their proficiency in French gives them added advantages when they handle tours to Europe and hence the Outbound Tour Operators book their dates at first. There are Russian, Japanese, and Arabic Language Experts as well, to adorn the Tourism Sector.
With a Doctorate in Islamic Architecture, Museum, and Heritage, the Italian-speaking RLG Dr. Mujeeb is also an expert in Temple Architecture and Iconography. His comprehensive knowledge is sought after by special Architecture Groups of Europeans, especially Italian, Tourists.
Apart from the Foreign Language Specialists, numerous English-speaking RLGs and SLGs specialize in various arenas of Professional Guiding such as Archeology, Wildlife tours, Eco-tours, Ornithology, Media assistance for foreign Journalists, etc. The Regional Level Guide Manoj Vasudevan, a State Award Winner for Best Guide, is a Travel Photographer.
Rejaneesh Sahadevan, an English-speaking SLG is perhaps the only Tourism Professional in South India who has travelled, along the length and breadth of the wilderness of the Western Ghats as a Trekker. Rajneesh is also a Cyclist and handles Cycle Tours and he specializes in Outbound Tourism too. When Shine, a keen environmentalist, and a Flora and Fauna Specialist, received the Audley-UK Best Guide’s Award hosted by GUILIN TANG DYNASTY INTERNATIONAL in Shanghai, it was the first of its kind for a South Indian RLG.
Shagzil Khan, another English Speaking RLG is known for handling High-Profile International and National Personalities, like US Ambassador to India, Embassy Delegations, Kerala State Official Guests, etc. Being an avid reader, he was the first and among a handful of RLGs in South India who was selected and re-trained for a Boston-based reputed US Tour Operator called “Road-Scholar”. The members of the Tours are dignified personalities from the USA, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. And as the company name suggests the participants are the “Hunters of in-depth Knowledge”.
Rajesh P R who was concentrating on the US inbound market is presently specializing in Outbound Tours. He can culturally connect his South Indian tour leading Experiences to his native Travelers when he accompanies them to European countries. Rajesh is also showcasing local experiences which are an integral part of Responsible Tourism to promote Malabar as a developing Destination to International and Domestic Tour Operators and especially to Foreign Media during their official Familiarization Tours.
Naturalists are yet another special profession in Tourism. There are only a few who pursue a profession as a Naturalist because it needs immense patience and passion for Mother Nature. A female presence is rarest of the rarest in this profession. For her post-Graduate Degree in Environmental Science, Preethi R, hailing from a dry-terrain of Chitradurga, in Karnataka, did her educational project in Parambikkulam National Park. The pristine nature of Parambikkulam has sprouted her love for Nature and chose her professional future to be a Naturalist. Presently she works as a Naturalist with CGH Group in one of their famous Resorts named Spice Village nestled among the lush green frontiers of Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
In the 90s, “Tourindia” of Mr.Babu Varghese was known for its specialization of Innovative Eco-tourism Products. Introduction of the converted “Kettuvallom Houseboats”, the World’s Highest Treehouses in the wilderness of Wayanad Rain Forest, embellished Bullock-Cart Rides through rustic Kerala Villages, organizing Wedding for Foreign Nationals in the rhythmic waves of Backwaters were a tremendous breakthrough in the History of Kerala Tourism. Later, Tourindia effectively marketed Tiger Trail Trekking Programs of the State Forest Department in the deep Forest of Periyar Tiger Reserve and Angling Tour Packages in the Vizhinjam Coastal Line of the Arabian Sea. Since then, no notable Tourism products have emerged as revolutionary.
In the post-Corona scenario, the Tourism Industry is in a numbed state. To revitalize the industry and to attract High-Spending Foreign Tourists it is inevitable to bring back High-Quality Professional Tourism. Unless and until we serve internationally challenging Unique and Innovative Tourism Products with demand-meeting Professional Services, we cannot compete in the Global Tourism Market. Being Tourism a major earner of Foreign Exchange, the bread and butter of a large number of folk, the need of the hour is the Sustainability of the Industry and itself is the real “Responsible Tourism”.
Written by AJAI KUMAR K S / SRIDEVI NARAYANAN
Photography – MANOJ VASUDEVAN
