Kerala Tourism
Kerala tourism promoting its new offerings aggressively:
Kerala Tourism is aggressively promoting its new products to the customers and the travel trade. It is conducting a series of road shows to update potential tourists and the travel trade about the recent product offerings and the developments in the tourism sector in the state. It is promoting products such as Rural Tourism, Ecotourism, tours to tea / coffee plantations, home stays, tours to the Malabar region, shopping festival and MICE.
Under the Government of Indias' Endogenous Tourism Project in association with United Nations Development Programme to promote Rural Tourism 26 destinations were selected of which 15 destinations are ready. Of these Aranmula and Kumbalangi are in Kerala. Work on these two destinations has been completed and are open for tourists from this season. Similarly to promote the Ecotourism sector, Kerala Tourism has identified a few destinations, which can be developed into Ecotourism spots. “Only soft adventure activities such as trekking, boating and camping will be allowed in these areas and will be offered with local support. Vana Rakshana Samitis have been formed to help provide these activities,” informed M Sivasankar, Director, Kerala Tourism.
Lot of emphasis is being given to the Malabar region, which was not being promoted very well although the region has tremendous opportunities for tourism. Kerala Tourism has launched the Wakeup to Malabar campaign to promote this region. It is also keen to promote the Meetings Incentives Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) segment as it is still not a major segment in Kerala. “We want to cash in on our success with houseboats by organising meetings on board these boats. The recent Bloggers Conference on a houseboat was a great hit,” added Sivasankar. A major convention centre is being built in Trivandrum to meet the requirements of the MICE segment.
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Kerala Tourism has launched a mechanism of classification for Ayurveda centres similar to the classification of hotels as tourists these days expect quality service. The Ayurveda centres are being classified by a committee comprising government officials and doctors. The final list will be put up on the Kerala Tourism website. Similarly the houseboats and home stays are also being classified under various categories depending on the facilities and quality of service.
In an effort to increase the spend of tourists on shopping in the state, Kerala Tourism launched the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival last year. The second edition will be held this year from December 1 to January 15, 2009. The department expects registeration of 5,000 shops for the festival this year.
