Wayanad to host 12th edition of Splash Monsoon Carnival: Dates, events, stalls

Sulthan Bathery: The Wayanad tourism industry, which has been struggling to recover from the devastating Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide, is pinning its hopes on the Splash-2025, the 12th edition of the Wayanad Monsoon Carnival, a two-day event scheduled to begin on July 12.

Organised by Wayanad Tourism Organisation (WTO), in association with 'India Tourism', Kerala Tourism Department, and District Tourism Promotion Council, the 'Splash' this year would be a mix of business, property visits, destination tours, cultural programmes, and participation in adventure activities. 

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, WTO President Sunilkumar MJ said that this is one chance the industry will have to tell the world, as well as show, that the majority of Wayanad is safe. The disaster had struck only on the tip of the vast district. 

Although only domestic tour operators are participating this year, their number is almost double the number of delegates who participated in the last Splash, they pointed out.

According to former WTO secretary CP Shylesh, as many as 576 travel agents, including 69 from Gujarat, 27 from New Delhi, and 187 from Maharashtra, would participate in the event. There would be 150 stalls of property owners, organisations of stakeholders, and 10 commercial stalls at the venue. Minister for Tourism P A Muhammed Riyas would inaugurate the event at 9:30 am on Saturday.  

The delegates divided into two groups: half would participate in the Business to Business (B2B) meet on the first day, starting with property visits, while the other half would go for sightseeing and participate in the B2B meet on Sunday, July 13, Mr Shylesh said. 

It is to be recalled that the tourism industry of the district has been facing uncertainty during the last year, since the catastrophe struck two villages- Mundakkai and Chooralmala, on the fateful night of July 30. The year was a unique one, as whenever there was a red alert of the 'Indian Meteorology Department' (IMD) with warning bells for rescue preparations, the alarmed visitors would suddenly start cancelling the bookings, it was pointed out. 

Apart from promoting tourism and instilling confidence in the tourism players drawn from all over the nation, the event would also showcase the culture, art, craft, and traditions of the agrarian district. This year, the properties from the neighbouring regions of Coorg, Mysore (Karnataka), Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu), and from neighbouring districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Kannur, in the state, would showcase their properties in the B2B meet.  

A biennial event, 'Splash-the Wayanad Monsoon Carnival', was launched in 2009. Representing the WTO, Peter K Jose, Jose Kainadi, and PN Babu Vaidyar, among others, participated in the press conference.