KERALA Tourism and UNESCO last week signed an MoU to preserve and develop the Spice Route for tourism, almost a year after the idea was mooted by the state with keen support from the UN organisation.
The ancient route linking India’s south-western coast to Europe will enable enthusiasts to travel through the road used by traders for over 2,000 years.
Slated to be one of the world’s largest tourism-linked conservation projects, the initiative will partner 31 countries that the spice route passes through: Afghanistan, Myanmar, China, Denmark, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mozambique, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syria, the Netherlands, Turkey, UK and Yemen.
European countries like Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany have shown great interest in the initiative.
Kerala secretary-tourism, Suman Billa, said: “The project will create a unique collaboration with countries across different continents.”
Kerala tourism minister, AP Anilkumar, said: “Like the Silk Road, the Spice Route will be a huge addition to the global tourism map and help Kerala create a unique product.”
Kerala Tourism will host an international conference on the Spice Route trail in Kochi in 2014, which will see the participation of all partner countries.
“We are working with UNESCO to organise a culinary festival in which chefs from all the 31 countries will reinvent the different culinary traditions of their countries,” revealed Billa.
Kerala Tourism has allotted Rs250 million (US$4.1 million) for exploratory activities of the project.
The Spice Route will link the cardamom and tea-growing estates, Asia’s largest cinnamon farm, spice trading centres, the dhow (country boat) building centre and the original spice sailing port, Muziris.
