Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 12 (IANS): The Kerala tourism department will pilot the project of promoting auto-rickshaw drivers as state tourism's brand ambassadors from April 1 at Wayanad.

The Wayanad district tourism promotion council has already given training to 100 auto drivers in the district to be deployed as brand ambassadors of the state tourism department. The drivers of Sulthan Bathery, Ambalavayal and Vythiri have been provided training as the first batch.

Officials in the Wayanad District Tourism department told IANS that more drivers are identified from other locations of the district to be branded as ambassadors of state tourism department.

Ajesh K.G., secretary of Wayanad District Tourism Promotion Council, while speaking to IANS said, "The tourist destinations in Wayanad are all scattered and some in remote places. The tourists generally come in private vehicles and taxis but autos would be of great help in providing local connectivity."

Kerala tourism minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas has announced that auto-rickshaw drivers would be deployed as the brand ambassadors of the tourism department.

The Wayanad tourism department is expecting that the autos would be of help for senior citizens, and tourists to traverse to remote destinations of the district.

However, the communication would be a great hindrance for the auto drivers but the Tourism department will overcome this using QR code which provides all details regarding each destination in the district.

The state tourism department is planning more destinations to be included in the network and is waiting for the response from the pilot project.

Sources in the tourism department said that if properly marketed and branded, foreign tourists, who want to experience a fresh mode of tourism, will flock in large numbers and the economy of these auto drivers will also increase. The tourism department can also take pride in that it will get a different branding that would be unique in the global tourism map.