Thiruvananthapuram: The small village of Aymanam is once again the center of attention in the world. Ayman gained world attention in 1997 against the backdrop of ‘The God of Small Things’, which won the Booker Prize for Arundhati Roy. Conte Nast Traveler’s list of 30 must-see places this year is once again in the spotlight.
Aymanam, a Kayalora village in Kottayam, won the World Travel Market Indian Responsible Tourism One to Watch award last November. Aymanam, a plastic-free and hygienic village, was considered as a heritage-rich and travel destination in addition to providing employment to the local community.
Aymanam, a village on the border of Vembanad Lake and Meenachalar, inspires writers to live a simple life away from the digital world and in harmony with nature, Conte Nast said.
Apart from bird watching, paddy field walks, boat rides, shrine visits and Kalaripayat-Kathakali fun, Aymanam also welcomes tourists to enjoy its unique delicacies.
Tourism Minister PA Mohammad Riyaz said the small village of Aymanam was naturally beautiful and rich in culture. It was an area that had not been much explored until recently. Aymanam Model Responsible Tourism Project has won an international award, making it even more prominent on the global tourism map. Conte Nast’s approval is proof of this. The Minister said that this was an important recognition that would inspire efforts to launch responsible tourism projects across the state.
Bhimtal (Uttarakhand), Kolkata (West Bengal), Sindhudurg (Maharashtra), Sikkim, Odisha, Goa, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Qatar, Japan, UAE, Egypt, Oklahoma (US), London (England), Conta Nast’s list also includes Zumba (Indonesia), Istanbul (Turkey), Sicily (Italy), Seoul (South Korea), Serbia, Uzbekistan and Singapore.
