ALAPPUZHA reclaims its Past Glory by Stopping at TOURISM
(This article got Published in Nehru Trophy Boat Race Souvenir in 2012 Issue. The editorial board was headed by the then Alappuzha District Collector. P Venugopal IAS) Alappuzha, the trade centre in the erstwhile Travancore regime, has basked in the glory of its past leaving behind all its charisma and extravaganza. The present condition of this old port town is quite pathetic even though it is striving hard to reclaim its chances from Tourism. New windows, avenues and vistas now get opened up through Backwater Tourism with its iconic Nehru Trophy Boat Race (NTBR), Beach Tourism and Beach Festivals, also as a Conference destination, hospitality slices such as Beach & Lake Resorts, Home Stays, Food and Beverages apart from its retreat call to relax and rejuvenate. All these make Alappuzha to look through the windscreen and not through the rear view mirror as it cruises forward. It also paves the way for the traditional industries like coir, fishing, and agriculture to revive,