Rupesh Kumar | Chief Executive Officer | Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission Society |

Mr RupeshKumar K. is a towering presence in the tourism industry in the country. Responsible Tourism in Kerala took wings under the leadership of Mr RupeshKumar K. Responsible Tourism became known across the world due to the earnest efforts, commitment and dedication of Mr RupeshKumar K.

He is the recipient of numerous awards and recognition across the globe. Indian Responsible Tourism Leader Award, WTM Outstanding Achievement Award and Lime Light Award are just some of them. Mr RupeshKumar K. was selected as the WTM Responsible Tourism Jury Member in 2021. He has presented papers in various international and national conferences.

Mr RupeshKumar K. was selected as the Sustainable Tourism Champion by CondeNast Traveller in 2019. Trainer for Community-Based Tourism Projects by ITC SME Academy, he is the founder of ICRT India and is a pioneer in Indian Responsible Tourism.

Profile

Pioneer of Responsible Tourism

Mr RupeshKumar K, Chief Executive Officer of Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission Society, has played an eminent role to develop Kerala as one of the leading Responsible Tourism destinations in the world. He was an active participant in the mass movements against the unscientific and unethical development of Tourism in Kerala, especially in Kumarakom. He was also a part of the mass activities that demanded alternative tourism activities in Kumarakom becoming part of the Kerala Responsible Tourism movement from 2007.

Positions

Mr RupeshKumar K. has worked as State Responsible Tourism Project Coordinator, Destination Coordinator of Responsible Tourism, State Level Responsible Tourism Field Coordinator, Saparya Tourism Project Coordinator, Alappuzha Backwater Tourism Master Plan Field Coordinator, Kumbalangi and Alappuzha UNDP Marketing Plan Coordinator and as the Kudumbashree Consultant and Resource Person (Women Empowerment Project by Govt. of Kerala), People’s Planning Campaign Resource Person, and member of the monitoring committee of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme & National Cleanliness Mission.

Village Life Experience Model

Mr RupeshKumar K. developed a new tour package model called Village Life Experience as part of Kerala Responsible Tourism which converts traditional livelihood activities as tourism products. These packages have been recognized by the Govt. of India as the best Rural Tourism Initiative. Drawing on this experience, he developed PEPPER (People’s Participation for Participatory Tourism Planning and Empowerment through Responsible Tourism) project for participatory planning and development of tourism.

Awards & Recognitions

Outlook India’s Indian Responsible Tourism Leader(2020)
Conde Nast Traveller’s amazing ambassador of sustainable travel in (2020)
WTM’s ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ (2019)
lime Light award ( Personal Awards) Selected as WTM award
Jury Member All other awards under the leadership of Mr.Rupeshkumar K

WTM highly Commended Award for Kumarakom Responsible Tourism Project, RT Mission (2017)
National award for the best Responsible Tourism Initiative in India by Govt. of India and PATA Gold & Grand award while he was the Destination Coordinator of Kumarakom RT project (2008-09)
4 Gold Awards by ICRT International (2022)

Travel + Leisure Global Vision Awards (2022)
WTM Awards to Ayamanam Model RT Village Project (2022)
WTM Highly Commended Award under ‘Meaningful Connections’ category to ‘Work at Home Videos’ and ‘Story Telling Videos and Audios’ of Responsible Tourism Mission units (2020)
UNWTO Ullysses award for Innovations in Public Policy and Governance (2020)

PATA Gold & Grand Awards (2020)
PATA CEO Challenge Award (2020)
PATA Gold Award for Women Empowerment (2019)
WTM Highly Commended Award (2019)
6 National Awards (2019)

Outstanding Achievement Award in the Indian Responsible Tourism Awards (2019)
WTM Gold Award in Managing Success Category (2018)
WTM Award for Best in Managing Responsible Tourism (2018)

Gallery

RT Water Street Project Inauguration

Street Project, Responsible Tourism

Pepper Project, Punnayoorkkulam

RT Waste-Management Workshop

RT Street Project Inauguration

RT Street Project Inauguration at Trithala, Velliyamkallu

Explore

News & Updates

Kerala Tourism launches first Water Street at Maravanthuruthu, Kottayam

Kerala Tourism's first street project was inaugurated at Maravanthuruthu in Kottayam district. Maravanthuruthu water street is the first of the 10 theme-based streets (sustainable, tangible, responsible, Experiential, Ethnic Tourism hubs) launched in Kerala.

Artists enliven street at Maravanthuruthu

Maravanthuruthu, a lake side village in Kottayam district that had opened the first Water Street for tourists in the state, has opened a two-kilometre-long art street. An array of murals has been splashed across its concrete canvases.

Art street to enhance tourism experience at Kottayam village

An art street is being developed at Maravanthuruthu to develop the village as a structured tourism destination. This is an initiative of the Responsible Tourism Mission of the Department of Tourism, Kerala.

RupeshKumar K.