Statistics Book 2007.pdf - Kerala Tourism

showcasing the indigenous architectural style while providing accommodation facilities in traditional
ambience. This scheme also provide an opportunity to preserve the age-old building and thereby
contributing to the rich heritage of the state. Despite the fact that the department of tourism has
announced attractive incentives for promoting Grihisthali project and good number of investors have
stepped into the scheme, since 1998, no serious attempts is made for evaluating the performance of
these units. In this context, the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies is entrusted the task of
conducting an evaluation study of twenty two Grihisthali units that are spread over different districts in
the state. All the identified units are reported to be doing tourism business by the Department of Tourism.
Methodology
To begin with KITTS contacted three Grihisthali operators and colleted primary information about their
activities. Based on the discussion held with Grihisthali operators and officials in the Department of
Tourism, a questionnaire was developed for collecting basic information from the Grihisthali units.
Investigators spent 2 to 3 days in each unit to collect detailed information pertaining to various activities
including the brief history of the buildings. We took forty days for completing the survey. All the information
collected was analysed by using SPSS and results are discussed in subsequent chapters.
Structure of the Report
This report is structured into three chapters. After the executive summary, the first chapter provides an
evaluation of the Grihisthali units. This chapter concludes with a SWOT analysis of Grihisthali units. The
second chapter gives a general profile of some selected Grihisthali units and a SWOT analysis of each unit
based on the perception of owners / managers. The last chapter provides major highlights of the study.
Findings
The new initiative of the Department of Tourism has succeeded in bringing good number of traditional
houses under the ambit of tourism in the state. A good number of houses that are more than 50 years old
are in dilapidated condition. In fact, the Grihisthali scheme announced by the Department is an initiative
for the owners/prospective entrepreneurs in heritage tourism to come forward and renovate age old
buildings to meet the requirements of heritage/cultural tourists. This is a well thought out scheme for
strengthening the cultural/heritage tourism in Kerala.
An examination of the profile of Grihasthali units shows that 86% are under sole proprietorship, 5% under
partnership and 9% on lease basis. It is to be noted that 77% is inherited and the owners are interested in
preserving them as a monument, for which tourism provide an opportunity. Considering the home stay
units and other accommodation segments, Grihisthali maintain a heritage ambience in which the area of
land possessed by them plays an important role. The average size of land holding is worked out as 13
acres and the maximum is found at Kottayam (33 acres). As organization, which is catering to tourism
requirements, Grihisthali offers facilities other than accommodation to tourist. The facilities generally
offered include sight-seeing, guiding, ayurveda, and yoga. Out of this, ayurveda and yoga are not given
prominence in their itinerary.
Regarding the type of cuisine offered, only 28% offer Chinese. Continental and Indian are the most
popular cuisine offered by these units. Majority owes to financial institution for renovating the building.
However, the average loan amount due is worked out as Rs.4.77 lakhs.
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