Kerala tourism gets a boost: More support for homestays, 10 new destinations planned

Tourism Minister PC Vishnunadh said more concessions and facilities would be provided to homestays in Kerala. He said training would also be provided to homestay operators to bring greater uniformity in the sector.

The minister said a lack of attention to some basic aspects of running homestays often leads to complaints. To address this, Kerala will be divided into three zones, with training programmes for homestay operators to be conducted through institutions under the Tourism Department.

Encouraging new tourism destinations will be another priority, Vishnunadh said. He recalled visiting Akalapuzha after noticing Mathrubhumi's ‘Akalapuzha campaign’. The destination was subsequently included in the government's annual plan, with funds allocated for its development.

Although Rs. 10 crore has been earmarked for 10 new destinations in a year, the government will provide additional funding for infrastructure development. It has also decided to allocate Rs. 100 crore annually for these 10 destinations, amounting to Rs. 500 crore over five years.

Central government schemes will also be utilised for the development of these destinations. “We should be able to spend at least Rs. 10 crore on a single location,” the minister said.

He said the previous practice of spending Rs. 70 lakh or Rs. 1 crore on a project and leaving it incomplete should not be repeated.

For this purpose, the government will reintroduce the old Destination Challenge programme. By combining MLA and MP funds, panchayat funds and the Tourism Department's contribution, essential facilities can be developed at each destination, he said.

“Once the government provides the infrastructure, private individuals will be ready to invest, and tourists will arrive,” Vishnunath said.

Kerala has reached a strong position in responsible tourism, he said. As part of taking the initiative to its next phase, the second phase of Wayanad's ‘En Ooru’ project will be launched.

Similarly, ‘Brand Wayanad’, announced in the state Budget, will be launched soon. The Mundakkai-Chooralmala disaster led to a decline in tourist arrivals to Wayanad. The minister said the special ‘Brand Wayanad’ campaign was being launched as part of the 100-day programme to help revive tourism in the district.

Union Ministry of Tourism Joint Secretary S. Harikishore delivered the keynote address. Malabar Group Chairman M.P. Ahammed spoke on ‘Malabar Tourism: From My Perspective’. A message from R.P. Group Vice-Chairman Ganesh Ravi Pillai on ‘Malabar's Way in Hospitality’ was read by R.P. Group India Vice-President Ashish Nair.

FICCI Kerala Tourism Committee Chairman U.C. Riyas and Malabar Hospital Managing Director Dr Mili Mani also spoke.

The conclave was organised in association with Malabar Gold and Diamonds, with the support of Incredible India and the Kerala Tourism Department. The Leela Raviz Kadavu was the Powered By Partner, Malabar Hospitals the Associate Partner, and FICCI the Technical Partner.