Souvenir Challenge | Kerala Tourism

KERALA TOURISM NEWSLETTER

ISSUE: 366

FEBRUARY 2024

Kerala Tourism Announces Souvenir Challenge, Inviting Artists to Contribute to a Collection of Artworks

Kerala Tourism invites artists to a souvenir challenge competition, wherein they can create an inventory of cute and environment-friendly artefacts for tourists to take home after their visit to the state. This initiative of Responsible Tourism Mission is aimed at strengthening the tourist souvenir network.

The creator of the winning souvenir in the competition will receive a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, with Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 awarded to the second and third-place entries, respectively.

Moreover, Rs 10,000 will be granted to an artist selected from each of the 14 districts, and training opportunities will be extended to 100 artists to elevate their proficiency in souvenir creation.

"This initiative strives to build a collection of captivating artworks for tourists to acquire, contributing to the enhancement of Kerala Tourism's brand image and the global display of our diverse artistic and cultural heritage," stated Tourism Minister Mr P. A. Mohamed Riyas.

“The Responsible Tourism initiative in Kerala has consistently gained international acclaim for effectively implementing sustainable tourism models. The souvenir network project represents another significant advancement in this positive direction," the minister added.

In accordance with the competition guidelines set by the RT Mission, the souvenirs must be crafted exclusively from eco-friendly materials, showcasing the imprint of Kerala's socio-cultural elements or the distinctive historical, cultural, or artistic heritage of the location from where the tourist acquires the souvenir. The souvenirs are required to adhere to specific criteria: they should not exceed 500 grams in weight and have dimensions no larger than 20 x15 cm, ensuring they are lightweight for visitors to carry. They should also be flat in shape so as to make them easy to frame and display at home.

In terms of themes, each souvenir is expected to capture either a concept defining Kerala or the distinct character of the local area or district from where it originates. Artists must document the materials used in their creation, along with the theme or story it communicates.

Any Malayali who is a permanent resident of Kerala can participate in the competition. The participants should submit a model of the souvenir with personal details such as name, email and postal addresses, their contact number and a copy of their Aadhaar. The application may be submitted either directly at the state office of RT Mission or reach there by post by 05:00 pm on February 28, 2024.

The RT Mission retains the authority over the products acquired through the competition, and may make alterations to them if necessary.

For more details contact: +91 471 233 4749

Applications may be sent to:
Responsible Tourism Mission,
Department of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala,
Park View, Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala, India-695 033