Inclusive Tourism, a term invented by Dr. Scott Rains, is defined as "the comprehensive application of Universal Design by the travel and hospitality industry at all stages of product lifecycle." A related term, inclusive destination development, "similarly starts with Universal Design in looking at the creation, management and marketing of tourism destinations, Dr. Rains notes.

"Here at Tour Watch that need is being met by Indian pioneers like Ashoka Fellow, Abhishek Ray, the entrepreneurial team at Saroma Holidays, along with Prasad Phanasgaonkar of Mumbai, and design faculty at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT)..." a report in Tour Watch dtd: 1st Sept 2008 by Dr. Scott Rains.. marks the opening of Saroma's entry into the human-centered field of Inclusive Tourism in India.

Saroma Holidays, a unit of Saroma Group of Companies, with its innovative projects, excellent fleet management, wide network of offices and impeccable service records to customers is graphing its growth upwards in the tourism industry.

Working behind the scenes for the past 14 months the first step towards this commitment is the introduction of accessible "Kettuvelloms" (now known as house boats) in the backwaters of Alappuzha . This house boat, the first of its kind in India, adhering to Universal Design has been widely appreciated by experts like Ms. Sherri Backstrom, a member of the US Power & Sail Squadron and the only Certified Accessible Travel Professional in this industry.

Since an accessible boat is already available, the next challenge is to provide a public jetty which is accessible to this kind of boats. "Saroma plans to counter this issue in liaison with relevant authorities" says Mr. Rajesh Nambiar - Director Operations, Saroma Holidays.

Looking at Saroma's commitment and efforts done, the Indian chapter of ASTA has successfully persuaded the Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India to include Houseboats in Kerala as one of the very initial circuits for accessible tourism in India. The recent seminar conducted across India by SATH in association with ASTA has resulted in joining the hands of many like minded associations to work with the Government of India towards a common cause and make cultural capital of the world accessible to all.

Accredited by international travel organisations like SATH, ASTA, PATA, UFTAA, Saroma silently continues its journey in Inclusive Tourism under an apt banner - "Taste the Outdoors"