Kerala - Kochi   

Shopping fete to showcase State’s grandeur Tourism Trail

Ethnic aroma: A variety of spices will be on show at the fete.

KOCHI: Kochi too might go the Dubai way when it comes to attracting tourists to indulge in a shopping spree.

The organisers of Grand Kerala Shopping Festival, a one-of-its kind show being held in all district headquarters of the State, are banking on Kochi to bring in, between Rs.125 crore and Rs.150 crore of the Rs.250-crore business that the festival is expected to generate. Planned as an annual event, it will be held from December 1 this year to January 15, 2008 this time. It will coincide with the Christmas and New Year season, when the State’s tourist season will be at its peak. Most non-resident Keralites also choose to come home this time. The festival is a joint initiative of the Departments of Tourism, Industries and Commerce, Local Self-Government, Taxes and Cultural Affairs.

Apart from foreign and domestic tourists, efforts are being made to bring local residents out of their homes, to the shopping centres. Apart from giving a boost to trade and tourism, a major aim is to create an avenue for shopping with pleasure. The organisers will consider market centres and traditional industrial centres that are willing to accept the norms of sanitation, hospitality, amenities and business standards.

A market festival of coir, cashew, marine products, spices, handlooms and handicrafts products will be held in related centres. Facilities will be provided to tourists to purchase products from production centres, according to need. The government will also encourage the showcasing of items like consumer durables, traditional jewellery items, textiles, resorts and spa, and genuine Ayurvedic centres.

The festival is all set to become a major event in the itinerary of tourists and NRKs, says District Collector A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, who is the chairman of the committee which will oversee the organisation of the festival in Kochi and its suburbs.

Vasantotsavam, the dance and music extravaganza organised annually by the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) during the year end, will become an integral part of the festival, adding to its charm.

Mr. Hanish said a multi-ethnic food festival has been planned, so that people will throng shopping centres. “We have also planned exhibitions and mobile stages, where Kerala’s cultural ethos will be on show. The festival will also provide an impetus to Kumbalanghi, which is among the 15 model rural-tourism destinations in the country. The possibility of facilitating night shopping in Kochi throughout the festival period would be considered,” he said.

Customers will get coupons from the outlets, based on the value of purchase. The coupons can be used to gain access to venues where cultural and entertainment events will be staged. Small-scale industries and institutions in the Cooperative sector will get a definite boost, if they too participate in the festival.

Kerala Tourism Additional Director K.N. Satheesh who is the festival director said one lakh shops from across the State are expected to participate in the festival.

The Tourism Department is the nodal department for the conduct of the festival, handling of funds and other administrative matters. Merchants who register will get the GKSF branding done on their shops, with arches, danglers etc, so that the consumers can easily identify them. For more details contact: 0484-220 6022 or

visit www.grandkeralashopping

festival.com.

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