International Mountain Cycling Contest to be held in Kerala on Dec 8
The fifth edition of International Mountain Cycling Contest to be held at the hilly district of Wayanad in Kerala on December 8. MTB Kerala-2018 will be held at the Priyadarshini Tea Estate in Mananthavady. The logo of the event was released by Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran by handing it over to E M Najeeb, Senior Vice-President of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). Tourism Additional Director Raghudasan, Cycling Federation of India Treasurer Jayaprakash, Magazine editor of Tourism India, Ravi Shankar and KATPS CEO Manesh Bhaskar were also present at the event.
The event organized by Kerala Tourism, in association with Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society and Wayanad District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), is supported by Cycling Federation of India.
Apart from contestants from India, cyclists from almost 10 foreign countries are also participating in the event. The categories include: International Cross Country Competition (Men), National Cross Country Competition (Men), and National Cross Country Competition (Women). The event is expected to enhance Kerala’s reputation as an international adventure destination in the world tourism map.
The first international MTB Kerala was held at Thenmala in Kollam in 2012. The next editions were held at Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram, Priyadarshini Tea Estate in Wayanad, and Kottoor in Thiruvananthapuram respectively. MTB Kerala 2018 is expected to give a fillip to the Wayanad district in the adventure tourism sector.
A 5km long circuit track with international standards will be set up for MTB Kerala. “The innovative possibilities of adventure tourism will open new frontiers for the hilly destinations of the state. The majestic hills and the strong grounds of Wayanad will offer the best to conduct these kinds of competitions,” said a release. It is expected that thousands of domestic travellers, foreigners and sports enthusiasts will attend this international event. The state tourism department is offering a wide range of options to witness the event.
The international competition is not only intended to attract adventure tourists all over the world but also aims to attract young generation in to adventure sports.