Kozhikode gears up to promote quiz tourism

We have heard of all kinds of tourism by now. And, this time its not just a fancy affair, tourism for some of the most brilliant minds across the world. Kozhikode is all set to tap the potential of becoming a quiz tourism centre as it is about to host one of the biggest quiz festivals in the world in June.

The eight-day festival organised by Quiz Kerala, the first registered quiz society in Kerala, as part of the 16th edition of the annual World Quizzing Championship organised by the London-based International Quizzing Association (IQA) would commence on June 2. With this festival, Quiz Kerala is also vying for an official world record for the biggest participation in the championship.

The World Quizzing Championship is held in 150 cities across the world. With Kozhikode hosting the quiz festival for the past 11 years, it has become the quiz capital of the State. “Quizzers from all over the country, and of all ages and professional backgrounds, come to Kozhikode during the quiz festival every year. The beach, the food and the quizzing form a heady combination. It could even be called quiz tourism,” said Snehaj Sreenivas, secretary, Quiz Kerala.

More than 280 people had participated in the championship in the previous editions in the Kozhikode, which is a record as even the London and Paris centres do not have more than 40  participants.

Over the eight days of the festival, 25 different types of quizzes will be held. Government Medical College in Kozhikode will be the venue for the first four days. The competition will be held in four different colleges in the city for the last four days.

The organizers are also conducting a camp, ‘Making of Quizzers’, from April 20 to 22 with an aim to groom the young quizzers. An inter-quiz club competition will also be held on April 22 to involve the smaller quiz clubs in the State in the run-up to the world championship.