The Hindu Business Line : GITC to launch copter tourism

Copter packages
Capital by Air offers sightseeing around Thiruvananthapurm; Backwaters by Air around Kumarakom
Shoreline flights will offer sightseeing in Kanyakumari
A Chetak helicopter with a capacity to carry six passengers to be deployed

Kochi , Sept. 29

Great India Tour Company (GITC) is all set to introduce a new concept in the tourism scenario in the State with the launch of helicopter tourism offering short trips to various enchanting locations in the State.

This venture is a pioneering one, aimed at transferring tourists from one place to the other to save time and the discomfort of surface travel, Mr E. M. Najeeb, Chairman, Great India Tour Company Pvt Ltd said.

Cost-effective packages

Speaking to Business Line on the sidelines of the Kerala Travel Mart 2006, he said that the helicopter tourism would be introduced in the State in association with King Rotors and Air Charter Pvt Ltd.

The company has designed a number of cost effective packages such as `Capital by Air, Backwaters by Air, Fly the Hills and Shoreline flights'.

A Chetak helicopter with a capacity to carry six passengers apart from the pilot would be deployed for the service. Corporate charter, celebrity charter and exclusive charter flights are priced for Rs 70,000 onwards per hour, he said.

The Capital by Air offers sightseeing trip around Thiruvananthapurm, Backwaters by Air takes tourists around Kumarakom. Shoreline flights will offer sightseeing to Kanyakumari along the picturesque coastline.

Apart from tourism packages, the service also offers charters for VVIP travel, delegate entertainment, travel to conference destinations, aerial surveys, wind exploration, videography, disaster management etc.

This will be the first charter helicopter service in the State and the tourism domain in the State will surely witness a paradigm shift with a large variety of services, Mr Najeeb said.

Other packages

Besides this new service, he said GITC also has a host of other tourism packages like golf tourism and health tourism packages. The company in association with the Trivandrum Golf Club has launched golf tourism packages. The club has been attracting a lot of foreign tourists including diplomats and businessmen. The company has also envisaged major tie-ups with corporates and other related organisations.

Health tourism

GITC has also tied up with Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences, a 450-bedded multi-specialty tertiary care hospital of international standards, for the promotion of health tourism in the State. Apart from modern medicines, KIMS has also introduced ayurvedic treatment as part of the health tourism packages.

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