The Hindu Business Line : Preparations under way for Kerala Shopping Festival

Kochi, Aug. 15 The State Government is gearing up to organise the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF) from December 1 to January 15 for the second consecutive year, with a view to promoting and developing the trade and industrial sector using the brand value of Kerala Tourism.

The feedback received from different sources after the first GKSF was thoroughly studied and productive comments were included while chalking out the plan for the conduct of the festival for the second time, Mr K.N. Satheesh, Director, GKSF, said. Committees have been formed with respective district collectors in the lead for the successful conduct of the 45-day festival. Last year, the Government had faced some problems in the conduct of the event due to lack of sufficient time for the smooth conduct of the festival. This year more efforts will be taken to clear all the obstacles and ensure more participation from merchant establishments, he said.

As against 2,195 shops that participated in the event last year, the Government is targeting involvement of 5,000 business establishments this year. There has also been a remarkable increase in total quantum of sales during the festival period last year in the State, directly contributing a major portion in the VAT collection, Mr Satheesh added.

The registration for participation for the festival by merchant establishments under different categories started on Independence Day with the launch of the online registration by the State Tourism Minister. The organisers will provide promotional material and formulate projects to promote business of participating business establishments.

All the 14 districts in the State will gear up to organise sales events besides cultural and entertainment programmes to woo tourists and buyers from India and abroad. The State Government has earmarked a budgetary allocation of Rs 15 crore for the festival this year. According to Mr Satheesh, the support extended by World Gold Council as one of the sponsors for the event is one of the major attractions for this year’s festival. The prizes for customers this year were only gold, and the winner will receive 5 kg of gold.

There are three separate membership plans for the GKSF. Corporation and municipal regions and selected tourist as well as pilgrim centres will be the hub of the festival. Many of the gifts offers include scratch and win cards to attract customers. The special fetes held as part of GKSF will add colour to the much awaited season of shopping, he said.

The objective of organising such festival is to make the State an international shopping destination and create employment to develop traditional trade centres. The intention is to promote tourism as well as traditional trading activities to coincide with the tourism season in the State.

It is expected that such an approach will have multiple effects on the State’s economy, he said, adding that the Government had also plans to make it as a regular annual event in order to create a new shopping season period after Onam.

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