The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Focus on wooing local tourists

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Tuesday, Mar 18, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Focus on wooing local tourists

Staff Reporter

Tourism Minister inaugurates coastal protection project

20% increase in foreign tourist arrivals
Coastal protection project on 20 beaches

Thiruvananthapuram: Minister for Tourism and Home Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said here on Monday that the thrust of the marketing strategy of Kerala Tourism in the coming days would be on attracting locals to tourist destinations.

Inaugurating the ‘Ente theeram’ coastal protection project of Kerala Tourism under the tsunami rehabilitation scheme at Veli tourist village, Mr. Balakrishnan said a major handicap that tourist destinations in the State faced was the lack of publicity. The new marketing strategy would address this issue, he said.

The Minister said Kerala Tourism could register growth of 20 per cent as against the national growth of 13 per cent mainly due to the good law and order situation and safety guaranteed to tourists in the State. “Handling the Tourism and Home portfolios by the same Minister had helped Kerala,” he said.

The State had registered an increase of 20 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals and six per cent in domestic arrivals. Revenue from the tourism sector had crossed Rs.11,500 crore last year, he said adding that the economy of the State would prosper if the destination had good tourism projects.

The Minister said the funds provided for ‘Ente Theeram’ would be utilised for costal protection and not for tourism development.

He said fishing activities would not be affected in any way. The government would ensure that the locals got preference while appointing life guards, security personnel and beach wardens.

The project will be implemented on 20 beaches and a sum of Rs.84.11 crore has been sanctioned. The project aims at coastal protection, construction of walkways, provision of drinking water, toilet facilities, security and lighting. The project is being implemented on the beaches at Kovalam, Shanghumughom, Veli, Varkala-Kappil, Kollam, Alappuzha, Andhakaranazhi, Fort Kochi, Cherai, Munambom, Nattika, Azhekkal, Padinjerakkera, Dharmadom, Muzhapplingad, Payambalam, Menkunnnu, Beypore, Kozhikode, Kappil and Bakel.

Presiding over the function, Minister for Revenue K.P. Rajenderan said 90 per cent of the works under the Rs. 1,441.75-crore tsunami rehabilitation project had been tendered. The Centre had announced an additional Rs.21 crore from the Prime Minister’s Fund for improving the livelihood of fisherfolk.

At the function, Mayor C. Jayan Babu released the logo of the project.

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