Ranipuram tourism centre accident: What tourists should look for before trying adventure activities

The death of a 24-year-old newbie adventure tourism operator in Kerala's Ranipuram on Saturday, while accompanying a young woman on an aerial activity, is raising many questions. A tourist apparently panicked and grabbed the operator's hands while conducting the ride. Though they had almost finished the 200-metre activity, the operator fell from 50 metres to his death, according to local police. 

While the cops term the activity as a seated zipline, the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS) calls it a 'rope rider,' operated with a motor, like a chair car. It's not clear whether the facility had proper licences as well. "The centre is not a registered unit under KATPS," says its CEO Binu Kuriakose. The Rajapuram police station officials said the facility claims to have approval, and they have instructed the operators to produce it today. 

Safety tips for tourists
Binu says that 'rope rider' is not an activity under the KATPS regulations, though it isn't inherently dangerous. He explains, "There is a set of guidelines passed by the government in 2019, named 'Safety and Security Guidelines in Adventure Tourism.' Land-, air-, and water-based adventure activities in Kerala are operated under these regulations. It outlines how various activities should be installed, operated, and managed, and how operators should be trained to handle tourists. Service providers are supposed to follow it." 

However, since tourists may not be aware of these legalities, what should they look for to stay safe? Binu says, "Tourists can check whether the facility is registered and certified. Every registered unit is listed on the websites of Kerala Tourism and Kerala Adventure Tourism, district-wise. Check whether this particular centre and its address are listed here. Every such unit is also supposed to prominently display its certifications and show them to visitors who demand verification. If the certification is displayed, one can trust it is a properly run centre." A registered centre will have standard facilities, qualified staff, proper risk assessment and emergency plans and medical facilities in place, he explains.