Kerala for All conclave: Many inclusive tourism initiatives lack the ‘queer’ factor, says Keshav Suri

The ‘queer’ element is missing in many inclusive tourism initiatives, Keshav Suri, Executive Director of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, has said.  

He was speaking on ‘What makes Tourism Truly Inclusive’, at the Kerala for All conclave, organised here on Saturday by the Kerala Tourism in partnership with The Hindu. People from the LGBT community need a secure space where they are not discriminated against. Hospitality must recognise the divine in all people, he said.

LGBT-friendly hotels

As the person at the helm of a chain of Lalit Suri hotels, he said that the hotels, which include one in Bekal, have over the years come to be among the top 10 LGBT-friendly hotels worldwide. The employers there include acid attack survivors. 

He called upon the stakeholders concerned to design public and other spaces in an inclusive manner, so that spaces like metro stations and even streets become ‘wow’ spaces.

Speaking at the conclave, Akash Hingorani, Principal Architect at Oasis Designs, who also played a key role in restoring public spaces in Delhi and other cities, and lakes in Coimbatore, expressed concern at most Indian cities still grappling with shortage of inclusively designed public spaces. All public spaces must be pram- and trolley bag-friendly. 

Footpaths’ condition

At the basic level, there is urgent need to improve the condition of footpaths. This is because visitors to any city would see its streets at first. Government agencies must adopt innovative revenue generating models for the upkeep of such spaces, he said at the session that was moderated by Soma Basu, journalist. 

The subsequent question-and-answer session saw guests cite the need for public infra that acknowledges the needs of children and adults with disabilities.