The RT Classification became operational by the end of May 2013. The classification is for tourist accommodation providers such as hotels, resorts, heritage homes, ayurveda resorts, serviced villas, houseboats and home stays. The first step is all hotels and resorts in Kumarakom would be declared RT-complaint on June 27, at the inauguration of the International Conference on Responsible Tourism.
Any new tourism unit was entitled to capital subsidy and power tariff concessions. It is a selective plan. A new tourism venture can claim these benefits only if it conforms to the standards prescribed in the classification process.
The criteria for the classification are developed on the basis of the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC). An RT classification will be considered a written assurance that a business, product, process, service, or management system conforms to a specific standard.A marketable logo is using various criteria and related indicators.
The classification divides total points of 1000 among four responsibility categories: sustainable management (200); socio cultural responsibility (250); economic responsibility (250); environmental responsibility (300). Properties that have scores between 750– 1000, 600–749 and 500–599 will be classified as Platinum, Gold and Silver respectively.