The Hindu Business Line : Efforts on to sustain tourist flow to Kerala

Bangalore, Sept. 19 With international tourist arrivals to Kerala recording an increase of over 25 per cent and domestic tourists arrivals seeing an almost 8 per cent growth, the State tourism department wants to spare no efforts to sustain the momentum.

Bangalore formed the spine of Kerala’s summer tourism (April to October), said Mr V. Venu, Secretary, Kerala Tourism. The tourism department conducted a road-show here to promote its innovative initiatives. Similar shows are being planned in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

Besides the much-known Kerala experience of restful and peaceful holidays with some rejuvenation thrown in for the tourist, the department hopes to promote the State as a ‘working vacation destination’ for the Bangalore IT market.

The venues for conferences and conventions in the State range from large convention halls to houseboats, which have facilities to host conferences with about 100 people on board.

The tourism department also hopes to promote nature-based tourism in the State, under the brand ‘Kerala By Nature’.

The State’s many wildlife sanctuaries will be thrown open to tourists and better infrastructure created, Mr Venu said.

Malabar initiative

Besides, the Malabar districts, not as sought after as the Southern ones, will also be focussed on, through the ‘Wake Up To Malabar’ initiative. He hoped that more tourists will now visit places such as the historical Bekal Fort, Kappad Beach, and Wayanad – famous for its forests and tree-houses.

“Familiarisation trips and media visits will be conducted from the next month to promote the region,” he said.

As part of its Responsible Tourism initiative, the department has identified five destinations – Munnar, Kovalam, Thekkady, Kumarakom and Wayanad – where it will be implemented on a pilot basis.

The study for drawing up a master plan has already been initiated in these places, Mr Venu said.