The Hindu Business Line : Night shopping comes to Kochi

Kochi, Aug. 23 Perhaps for the first time in the State, night shopping has become a reality in Kochi during the Onam festival season thanks to the efforts of the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry in this regard.

Mr E.S. Jose, President of the chamber, said that the idea was to introduce night shopping till August 30 during the festival season period on a temporary basis.

Future plans

If it is found viable, the facility will be made permanent from November 1, the Kerala Formation Day.

Many of the shop owners in Marine Drive and Broadway have agreed to open their stores till midnight. The shops that have agreed to participate in the shopping festival include home appliance outlets, textile shops and hotels.

Govt support

Moreover, the district administration has extended full support to the programme by making necessary arrangements for transportation facilities for customers, he said.

According to Mr Jose, the merchants’ unions and the public have wholeheartedly supported the new venture co-ordinated by the chamber in order to make Kochi a leading shopping centre in South India.

To create a festival ambience during the period, the chamber had also made arrangements to conduct various entertainment programmes as well as illumination of streets.

Various shops have come up with attractive gifts for customers.

The chamber has also initiated steps to organise ‘Vivah 2007’ in Kochi to enhance the business of various trade establishments in and around the city.

The programme will be conducted shortly.

He said that the chamber had initiated various measures to help traders in the city to commence business ventures in the UAE.

It recently signed an MoU with the Hamariyah and Ras-al-khaimah free trade zones in this regard.

Tourism plans

Meanwhile, the State Tourism Department in association with the District Administration and District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) has drawn up a variety of programmes called Lavanyam 2007 for four days in the city as part of Onam celebrations.

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