Kerala launches initiatives in tourism

Kolkata, Aug 22 (UNI) In a bid to grab the domestic market Kerala Tourism organised a Road Show in the city today.

Headed by Dr Venu V, Secretary, Kerala Tourism and Mr Sanjay Kaul, Director, Kerala Tourism, altogether 30 delegates, comprising hoteliers and tour operators took part in the Kolkata Road Show.

Similar shows are also being organised to tap the key markets in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc.

Addressing a press conference, Dr Venu said, "As Keralites and Bengalese share a common bond and fraternity, West Bengal offers a potential tourism market for Kerala, which will go a long way to strengthen the relationship between the two states." Kerala is scaling new heights in tourism, at the rate of 25 per cent annually and has registered a remarkable increase in domestic and international tourists during the January-March of the current year, he added.

While international arrivals in the coastal state recorded a significant 25.89 per cent increase over the previous year's figures, the domestic tourist arrivals marked a 7.95 per cent increase.

To sustain this momentum, a number of innovative initiatives-- Dream Season, Let's Learn, Synergy Quest, Wake Up To Malabar and Pioneering Responsible Tourism-- have been introduced by Kerala Tourism for the first time in India.

''Kerala has been a sought-after destination in the fields of medical, monsoon, village, wildlife and cultural tourism and for sceneries of hill stations, backwaters, beaches and much more,'' said Managing Director of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation Ltd K G Mohanlal.

Kerala, because of its equable climate, natural abundance of medicinal and herbal forests and the cool monsoon, is the only state in India which practises the system of Ayurvedic medicine.

Besides, to give further boost to tourism, Kerala Tourism is focussing on strengthening air connectivity, particularly from Kolkata to Thiruvananthapuram, he said.

An information office for the sake of tourism would soon be set up in Kolkta, informed Dr Venu V.

Kerala has won many National and International awards this year --the National Award for the Best Tourism Board for a record eighth time, the Das Golden Stadttor Award for Print Campaign, the Pacific Asia Travel Association Gold awards for Cultural Tourism and Travel Brochures, the CNBC Travel Award, NDTV Profit Business Leadership Award among others.

UNI