International para-gliding fest in Kerala

Kottayam, Apr 5: About 40 international and national gliders from around the world will be seen in action at the international para-gliding festival at Vagamon, 40 km from here, from April 6.

The festival organised by the Kerala Tourism department along with ASSTA (Adventure, Sports and Sustainable Tourism Academy) will continue till April 8.

Addressing reporters here yesterday, ASSTA and Tourism authorities said renowned gliders like New Zealander Bruce Mills and Paul James from the UK would take part in the festival.

Para-gliding required long mountain ridges, they said and, added that Vagamon had a ten-km ridge with an elevation of 3,000 feet from top to bottom, which was suitable for gliders.

They said if supplementary tourism products were not developed in the state, it would become very difficult to attract more tourists.

Kerala was currently totally dependent on its mainstay tourism products of backwaters and Ayurveda, they added.

UNI