EM Najeeb re-elected as CKTI chairman

The Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industries (CKTI) is seeking urgent financial aid from the government for the survival of the sector that has been ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic. The confederation said the government should take additional measures to help the 15 lakh employees who are directly linked to the travel/tourism/hospitality segment.

Meanwhile, following a series of online meetings that saw representation from 35 registered trade associations, CKTI re-elected EM Najeeb as its chairman. The main objective is to ensure survival and then the revival of the industry, CKTI stated in a press release.

The tourism sector is the most important revenue generating sector in Kerala with a total revenue of Rs 45,000 crore, which makes up about 11.5% of the state’s GDP. In the last financial year, the sector generated foreign exchange revenues of Rs 10,000 crore.

However, no relief measures have come through the state or central government despite the industry being one of the hardest hit during the pandemic. Most of the skilled and experienced professionals in the industry have lost jobs and investors and other stakeholders are finding it difficult to maintain their businesses, CKTI said in its press release.

Some of the professionals and investors have moved to other business areas like online and offline trading of pickles and other food stuff, housekeeping, fish sales etc to make ends meet.

In this light, CKTI has requested both the central and state governments to provide financial support to the sector so that it can survive this crisis.