A New Vision for Kerala’s Heritage and Tourism

Posted : 03-09-2026

Heritage is more than the memory of a place. It is the identity that connects its past with its future.

With this belief, City Heritage Research Guild Private Limited has been advancing a vision for heritage preservation and sustainable tourism as part of shaping Kerala’s future. As part of this initiative, the City Heritage team met with key public representatives and administrators, including Shri P.C. Vishnunadh, Minister for Tourism; Adv. Fyzal Babu, MLA, Kozhikode South; Shri Snehil Kumar Singh IAS, District Collector, Kozhikode; Shri O. Sadasivan, Mayor of Kozhikode; Adv. T.O. Mohanan, MLA, Kannur; and Adv. P. Indira, Mayor of Kannur Municipal Corporation.

The initiative marks an important new chapter in City Heritage’s journey. After years of documenting heritage, conducting storytelling walks and creating cultural experiences across Malabar, the organisation is now taking its experience and ideas into the wider field of heritage policy, destination development and public planning.

From Stories to a Vision for the Future

City Heritage began its journey with a simple idea: heritage becomes meaningful when people can experience, understand and connect with it.
Over the years, this idea has grown into a wide range of heritage walks, storytelling programmes, cultural experiences, research projects, exhibitions and educational initiatives. More than 1,000 heritage storytelling programmes and cultural experiences have been conducted across Malabar, introducing residents, students, researchers and visitors to the region’s history, architecture, traditions, cuisine and living culture.

Kerala possesses an extraordinary heritage landscape, but much of it remains under-documented, under-interpreted and underutilised as a sustainable tourism resource. City Heritage believes that the next phase of Kerala’s tourism development should place greater emphasis on heritage, culture, communities and authentic local experiences.

A 10-Year Vision for Kerala Tourism

At the state level, City Heritage has proposed the formulation of a 10-Year Kerala Tourism Vision Plan for 2026–2036. The proposed vision seeks to bring together Kerala’s cultural, historical, ecological and community assets within a long-term framework for sustainable tourism development.

As part of this initiative, City Heritage Founder Muhammed Shihad presented the proposal to Kerala Tourism Minister Shri P.C. Vishnunadh during a session jointly organised by the North Malabar Chamber of Commerce and North Malabar Tourism Organization in Kannur. The meeting provided an opportunity to present City Heritage’s broader vision for the future of Kerala’s tourism sector, with particular emphasis on heritage, sustainability, community participation and regional development.

- City Heritage Founder Muhammed Shihad presented the proposal to Kerala Tourism Minister Shri P.C. Vishnunadh

One of the key recommendations is the creation of a Sustainable Tourism Advisory Committee bringing together tourism professionals, hospitality and homestay operators, culinary experts, artists, cultural practitioners, storytellers, historians, environmental experts, local communities and tourism entrepreneurs.

Such a platform could help identify emerging opportunities, address challenges and develop innovative tourism projects rooted in local communities.

City Heritage has also proposed a regional approach to tourism development through three broad zones:

North Kerala – Malabar: Heritage, cultural, culinary and maritime tourism, Theyyam, Mappila culture and eco-tourism.
Central Kerala – Kochi Region: Urban, cruise, convention, backwater and cultural tourism.
South Kerala – Travancore: Wellness, beaches, hill stations, heritage destinations and responsible tourism.

The purpose is to allow each region to build its tourism identity around its own strengths while ensuring a more balanced distribution of investment, infrastructure and opportunities across the state.

Giving Malabar a Stronger Place on Kerala’s Tourism Map

A major focus of City Heritage’s proposals is Malabar. For centuries, the Malabar Coast was connected to Arabia, Africa, Southeast Asia and Europe through the Indian Ocean trade. Its ports, markets, mosques, temples, churches, forts, traditional arts, cuisine and communities tell a remarkable story of maritime exchange and cultural coexistence.

Yet much of this heritage remains outside the mainstream tourism narrative. City Heritage therefore proposes a dedicated Malabar Tourism Development Vision, built around heritage conservation, cultural and culinary tourism, maritime history, living traditions and modern tourism infrastructure.

The aim is not simply to attract more visitors, but to create meaningful tourism that generates local employment, strengthens communities, encourages responsible investment and gives Malabar the recognition it deserves.

Reimagining Kozhikode’s Heritage

Kozhikode occupies a special place in Kerala’s history.

Historically known as the “City of Truth” and recognised as India’s first UNESCO City of Literature, the city grew as an important centre of maritime trade and cultural exchange along the historic World Spice Route.

The legacy of the Zamorins, the ancient ports of Kozhikode, Beypore and Koyilandi, the continuing tradition of Beypore Uru construction, the Mishkal Mosque and the city’s diverse communities together form a remarkable heritage landscape.

City Heritage presented a detailed vision for the conservation, upgradation and sustainable development of Kozhikode’s rich heritage to Snehil Kumar Singh IAS, District Collector of Kozhikode, and O. Sadasivan, Mayor of Kozhikode Municipal Corporation.

- City Heritage team presented the proposal to the Mayor of Kozhikode Municipal Corporation Shri O. Sadasivan.

The proposal appreciates recent heritage-sensitive initiatives in the city, while also calling for a more structured heritage policy supported by dedicated funding and a long-term implementation framework. The vision includes systematic documentation, conservation and interpretation of both tangible and intangible heritage.

Among the areas identified for greater attention are the legacy of the Zamorins, Basel Mission heritage, traditional cuisine, Thira, Kalaripayattu, Kolkkali and the cultural traditions of the Gujarati, Parsi, Jain, Sindhi, Islamic and Christian communities. Historic sites such as the former Collectorate bungalows, Gujarati Street, the Moidu Maulavi Museum, Commonwealth Tile Factory, German Bungalow, Beypore Uru yards and historic maritime structures also offer opportunities for conservation and creative interpretation.

City Heritage has further proposed the use of modern technology to document and interpret Kozhikode’s heritage, making its stories accessible to younger generations and audiences around the world.

Supporting the Vision of a New Kozhikode

The meeting with Adv. Fyzal Babu MLA added another dimension to this vision.

City Heritage appreciated his reflections on Kozhikode’s pluralistic heritage and the historical legacy of the Zamorins and Kunjali Marakkars. The organisation expressed its willingness to support initiatives connected with heritage conservation, historical research, documentation, cultural tourism and public engagement. The idea is to build a Kozhikode where heritage is not simply preserved in isolated monuments, but becomes part of the city’s identity, public spaces, education, tourism and everyday life.

- City Heritage Founder Muhammed Shihad is with Shri Adv. Fyzal Babu MLA.

Reimagining the Canolly Canal

Among the proposals presented is a new vision for the Canolly Canal in Kozhikode.

Once an important transportation and trade route, the historic canal has the potential to become much more than a waterway. City Heritage proposes an integrated Canolly Canal Tourism and Urban Regeneration Project, combining heritage conservation with public spaces and tourism infrastructure.

The vision includes canal-side promenades, heritage interpretation, water transport, cultural spaces, cycling routes, recreation areas and environmentally sensitive urban development. The objective is to transform the canal into a distinctive cultural landscape—one that reconnects Kozhikode with its historic relationship with water, trade and the wider world.

A Heritage and Tourism Development Vision for Kannur

Shaped by centuries of maritime trade, international connections and cultural exchange, Kannur is home to a remarkable combination of tangible and living heritage—from the Kolathiri legacy and Arakkal Dynasty to Theyyam, Kalaripayattu, handloom traditions, folklore and ritual arts.

Recognising this potential, City Heritage has proposed a comprehensive heritage conservation and integrated tourism development framework for Kannur, presented to Adv. P. Indira, Mayor of Kannur Municipal Corporation. The proposal calls for a structured heritage policy supported by dedicated funding, long-term planning and an institutional mechanism to coordinate conservation, tourism development and investment.
The vision extends beyond preservation to creating a stronger tourism ecosystem. With assets such as an international airport, historic forts, Arakkal heritage, Theyyam, culinary traditions, beaches, forests, backwaters and a distinctive cultural identity, Kannur has the potential to attract a wider range of visitors and generate greater economic opportunities.

- City Heritage Founder Muhammed Shihad presented the proposal to Adv. P. Indira, Mayor of Kannur Municipal Corporation, in the presence of Rijil Makkutti.

The proposed framework therefore emphasises improved infrastructure, heritage conservation, premium accommodation, private investment, enhanced visitor experiences and streamlined development processes.

City Heritage has also expressed its willingness to support the Municipal Corporation through research, documentation, digital interpretation, creative planning and continued engagement. The larger objective is to build a coordinated and sustainable model in which heritage is protected, tourism is strengthened, local businesses and communities benefit, and Kannur emerges as a distinctive destination for heritage, culture and responsible tourism.

Bringing the Arakkal Legacy Back to Life

In Kannur, one of the most important proposals focused on the Arakkal Royal Palace. City Heritage submitted a memorandum to Adv. T.O. Mohanan MLA, seeking support for the revival and implementation of the long-pending Arakkal Royal Palace Conservation Project under the Thalassery Heritage Project.

- City Heritage team presented the memorandum to the Adv. T.O. Mohanan MLA.

The Arakkal Dynasty represents one of the most distinctive chapters in Kerala’s maritime history. Its rulers maintained extensive connections across the Arabian Sea and played an important role in the political, commercial and cultural history of Kannur and the wider Malabar Coast.
The existing Arakkal Museum has already created an important platform for understanding this legacy. However, other parts of the historic palace complex require urgent conservation.

A detailed conservation and development proposal had previously been prepared under the Thalassery Heritage Project, with an estimated cost of ₹20 crore, divided into two phases. City Heritage has called for the revival of this earlier proposal and its implementation through appropriate government intervention.

For the organisation, conserving Arakkal is about much more than restoring an old building. It is about protecting Kannur’s identity, Kerala’s maritime heritage and an important chapter of India’s history.

Reviving the Story of St. Angelo Fort

Another proposal focuses on St. Angelo Fort, where an earlier Light and Sound Show project had been developed to present the fort’s 500-year history through an immersive audio-visual experience. City Heritage proposes the revival and modernisation of this initiative using contemporary digital and visual storytelling techniques.

A renewed experience could bring together the history of the fort, Kannur’s maritime connections, the Arakkal Kingdom, colonial encounters and the region’s resistance movements. Rather than simply telling visitors about history, the project could allow them to experience the story of Kannur.

One Vision, Many Conversations: Building Kerala’s Future on Its Heritage

From the very beginning, City Heritage has been actively engaging with public institutions, elected representatives and communities—not only to document and share the stories of our heritage, but also to ensure that these stories contribute to how our historic places are protected, strengthened and thoughtfully integrated into Kerala’s future development.

The proposals and memorandums presented to Kerala’s leaders are a continuation of this journey. They are not merely individual project ideas, but part of a larger vision for a Kerala where heritage conservation, tourism development and community participation move forward together.
This is a call for a new heritage consciousness in Kerala. Heritage is not merely what we inherit from the past. It is what we choose to preserve, strengthen and pass on to the generations yet to come.