Last week, MSN Green had listed some of the top eco-destinations in India and God’s own country - Kerala - was in the list for its famous backwaters and one of the richest biodiversity in the world. Here’s some more good news for the state. National Geographic has rated the Kerala backwaters as the world's 23rd best destination, giving the tourism sector a reason to smile.

State Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the rating by National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations has come as a shot in the arm for the industry.

"We will make this new certification as our USP. We have now finished a series of road shows in Europe and our next round of road shows in Italy, France, and Australia will take place. We will make this certification our main campaign point," Balakrishnan told IANS.

Over the years Kerala's tourism industry has recorded consistent growth. In 2008 there was 14.84 percent growth in tourism revenue while tourist arrivals grew 14.41 percent over 2007.

But the tourism sector in Alappuzha, known for its houseboat tourism and which earned this certification for the industry, wants urgent promotional steps by the government.

Tomy Pulikattil, who owns a fleet of houseboats including those that can accommodate more than 100 people, said after the Thekkady tragedy the tourism season appears to have dried up. At least 45 people had died when a boat overturned in Thekkady.

"The government has to launch a series of promotional activities because the fear of Thekkady still lingers in north India. The truth is that never has a tragedy occurred in the houseboat industry. A houseboat can bear a load from 30 tonnes to a maximum of 120 tonnes and the design of a houseboat is totally different to that of a motor boat," said Pulikattil, who recently conducted an inclination test by a marine expert on all his boats.

Kerala's peak tourism season begins mid-November and extends till March.

Ivory art in Kerala dates back to the era of Swati Tirunal Maharaja. A throne of ivory chiseled by the Raja is a remarkable work of art. The Maharaja of Cochin is famous for his tortoise shaped palanquin made of ivory,that blooms into an elegant floral shape. The figures of birds and animals adorn the palanquin.

Ivory carving, like the making of coir, is a painstaking and elaborate task. It calls for meticulous precision and an aesthetic sensibility. The tusk has to be hacked with great care. This requires the labor of a couple of men, approximately. Then comes the most difficult part of the process. The artisan has to dexterously draw the pattern that he wants to carve on the surface of the ivory and cut it out with great care. The uneven ivory surface is then polished to its gleaming best with sandpaper. The white and yellow category of ivories are treated differently. While the white ivory gets a methylated spirit treatment , the yellow ivory is decolorized with water and hydrogen.

Scenes from the Ramayana finds depiction in the ivory art of Kerala. The very nuances of the performances are effectively chiseled on the milk white ivory surface. The very famous snake boat races, that is a stunning spectacle of hundred boats competing with each other, is a popular ivory memento. The chundan vallam or the boat races are popular tourist haunts, made famous by the Nehru Boat Race of Alappuzha , initiated in 1952. Ivory artisans also carve out elegant showpieces like ashtrays, figures of birds, animals, deities and a host of other premium quality products, that exudes class and stands as luxury items. This is, however, a dying art form, like many others, that is fast fading into oblivion.