The Hindu : Front Page : Panel to study tourism industry’s proposals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 18, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

Panel to study tourism industry’s proposals

Staff Reporter

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan tells stakeholders to focus on domestic tourists.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A working group headed by the Secretary, Tourism, has been set up to look into the suggestions put forward by the tourism industry to overcome the drop in tourist arrivals to the State following the global slowdown. It will also formulate fresh strategies to overcome the crisis.

This was decided at a stakeholders’ meet on sustaining tourism in Kerala convened by Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan at Hotel Mascot here on Monday.

The working group will meet in the first week of December and submit its report to the government. Official sources have said the government will act on the basis of the report. The committee will have four representatives of resorts in the State, three representatives of tour operators, one each from the travel media, houseboat and home-stay sectors. The Director, Tourism; Managing Director, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation; Director, Ecotourism; and Managing Director, TRKL; have also been included in the working group.

Addressing the meeting, the Minister said Kerala Tourism needed a new marketing strategy to attract domestic tourists in the coming months to overcome the crisis. Although there was no clear picture on the likely impact of the financial crisis, tourist arrivals were likely to be hit as per projections.

He said that “the government is for taking steps with the support of all stakeholders of the industry to overcome the crisis in the tourism sector by attracting domestic tourists to the State in a big way.”

The Minister urged tour operators, resorts, hoteliers and other stakeholders to come up with attractive packages to lure domestic tourists. The government had contacted various airlines to work out attractive packages.

He said tour operators should contact universities and educational institutions in other States to rope in college and school students proceeding for study tours.

Confederation of Tourism Industry of Kerala president E.M. Najeeb said a 30 to 40 per cent drop in tourist arrivals would result in salary cut and job cuts. The captains of the industry said they were ready to reduce room tariffs and houseboats rates.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page