Kerala,India virtual tours
A screen grab from keralain360.com that shows a view of the Varkala beach when viewed in full-screen.
With the online media scaling greater heights at a rapid rate, the fruits of such progressive leaps are yet to be fully reaped by the tourism industry of the state. keralain360.com, a tourism photography website, aims to fill the existing void to a significant extent by projecting the varied and distinct beauty of Kerala in all its splendour through 360 degree virtual reality photography.
The website features a host of interactive 360 degree panoramic images of as many as 80 tourism spots and 20 major cities across the state. Siril Thomas, the creative director and photographer of the website, points out that efforts have been made to convey the realistic feel of viewing the locations for netizens from anywhere in the world. “There has not been a portal that has managed to incorporate the visual beauty of our charming tourist destinations along with a comprehensive logistical database for visiting such places. Pieces of information regarding getting to such areas have remained scattered and this has resulted in daunting tasks for those planning vacations.
In order to lessen the burden of tourists, keralain360.com would display relevant details including those regarding accommodation facilities including resorts and homestays, house boats, and approved tour operators. The distance between a specific tourist destination and a nearby city can also be understood in the website. Several search options have also been activated for the benefit of the users,” he says.
The website is also being developed to include 360 degree panoramic images of the interiors of accommodation facilities so as to enlighten the prospective visitor. Discussions in this regard have commenced with the managements of a few resorts and homestays, says Siril.
Siril has been supported by Syama Mohan, the content manager, and Sambhu Dayal, the website’s designer in the venture. The project has consumed nearly seven months so far and will continue to expand, according to Siril.
He also points out that talks are progressing with the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) in order to incorporate the facilities offered by website to the official portal of the Tourism department. The website was launched by Minister for Tourism A.P. Anil Kumar at a function held here on Friday.
sourece:thehindu.com
Filed under 360 virtual tours, news by on Jan 9th, 2012. Comment. 
Elephant Bathing in the Periyar River, Kodanad Rescue Center in India
At Kodanad in Kerala, the training centre for baby elephants is a true sanctuary to overcome the agony and pain of being an orphaned elephant baby. The baby elephants that are separated from their mothers in the nearby forest are rescued by the personnel of forest and wildlife and brought to the training centre at Kodanad. Located close to the Periyar River this elephant training centre in Ernakulam district has trainers, who are well experienced to care of the baby elephants; assuring them the best of parental care. Visitors come in large numbers to this elephant training centre to watch the routine of baby elephants and the unique bond they have with their trainers.
Filed under Collection of the best panoramas by on Jul 16th, 2010. Comment.
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