Kerala achieves 25.28 p c high revenue from Tourism

Thiruvananthapuram, May 24 (UNI) Kerala Home and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan today said the state had earned Rs 11,433 crore through tourism, registering an increase of 25.28 per cent more than the previous year.

Talking to reporters here, he said it had also earned Rs 5,978.65 crore from domestic tourism, which was 22.21 per cent, compared to previous year.

He said 515,808 tourists had visited to the state, an increase of 20.37 per cent.

The total investment in the tourism sector stood at Rs 1,200 crore last year, he said adding about 12 lakh people directly and indirectly were working in this sector.

As part of international marketing strategy the government would involve various Malayalee organizations spread across the world for the promotion of Kerala tourism, he said and added that the government would organise a ''Global Kerala Alliance in Tourism (GKAT), inviting representatives from these organizations at Kochi in December this year.

The Minister informed that the tourism department was taking initiative to promote souvenir industry as part of tourism.

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