Kerala introduces tourism packages to lure travellers

Kolkata, Jul 31 (UNI) The Kerala government has introduced some tourism packages at concessional rates to lure travellers during off- season from April to September.

Announcing the new packages Kerala Tourism Director M Sivasankar here today said targeting the holidaymakers the government was converting the traditional off-season into a season of opportunity for the travellers by offering them host of packages at concessional rates.

He said the state has earned Rs 2640.94 crore from foreign tourists, a record growth of 32.82 per cent over the previous year while the total revenue from tourism during 2007 was at Rs 11,433 crore, an increase of 25.28 per cent as compared to 2006.

The tourist traffic both foreign and domestic has also increased by 5.92 and 20.37 per cent respectively in 2007.

In all 2,34,209 foreign tourists visited Kerala during the first quarter of 2008 which shows an increase of 20.05 per cent as compared to the corresponding period in 2007, while the total domestic tourist arrival during the first quarter was 18,12,490 which is an increase of 15.04 per cent as compared to the same period of 2007, he added.

''To sustain the momentum several innovative programmes have been launched by Kerala tourism for the first time in the country which includes offshore yacht race, Kerala Travel Mart (KTM)-the only tourism mart in the sub-continent that brings together the business fraternity behind the tourism and the concept of Responsible tourism,'' Mr Sivasankar informed.

UNI RH PC PD ND1650