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Kerala is promoting green tourism and is hopeful of receiving 10 per cent more visitors this year during the sixth edition of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival over last year’s 10 million.
“Our focus is green tourism, and this is the primary reason behind the Global Village in Kochi, which was kicked off yesterday,” Kerala Tourism Minister A.P. Anil Kumar told PTI from Thiruvananthapuram.
“While we are spending Rs 7 crore to promote the Global Village, we are putting in another Rs 25 crore to promote the sixth edition of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival.”
While the Global Village will run from December 22 to January 9, GKSF, first organised in 2007, is being held from December 15 to January 31.
Global Village, set up as a part of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in Kochi. The 24-acre village, an international trade fair, stands on the adjoining Bolghatty Island across Ernakulam waters.
The village features nearly 400 stalls, over six thematic pavilions — international, national, Kerala, consumer, brand and weaves — Kumar said, adding that it represents the trade and cultural traditions of various states and countries.
While the national pavilion is dedicated to unique crafts and products from Delhi, UP, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the global pavilion has Thailand as the partner country with stalls selling the Southeast Asian nation’s unique products and its cuisine.
It has a space to stage cultural shows and also has Chinese and Japanese stalls.
The Minister said the Government is expecting around one million footfall at Global Village, which is targeted primarily at visitors from outside Kerala, particularly from overseas.
When asked about the rationale for promoting the State, known more as a perfect getaway, as a shopping attraction, the Minister said, “Tourism and shopping go hand in hand across the globe and we want to tap that potential as well.
Another objective is to position the State as a premium tourist destination, and not only for the backpackers.”
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