Tag: Kerala

The sixth edition of Kerala Blog Express, the annual campaign of state Tourism Department, was flagged off on March 21. Rani George, Secretary, Kerala flagged off the sixth edition of the two-week-long Kerala Blog Express from the Grand Hyatt, Kochi at 10.30 am. This year the campaign has 30 bloggers from 21 different countries across the globe participating in the event. The participating bloggers were selected through a voting system. For the first time ever in six years, the Kerala Tourism Department is organizing two trips back to back, one catering the International bloggers and another version exclusive to bloggers ... Read more

The Jatayu Earth’s Center at Chadayamangalam, near Kollam district in Kerala, is organizing a month-long selfie contest, ‘snap n win’. The contest is aimed to popularize the tourism destination that is slowly evolving as one of the best international tourist destinations of Kerala. The Jatayu Earth’s Center, which is the first BOT (Build, Operate, and Transfer) project of the Kerala Tourism, stands tall as a symbol of women safety and honour. The giant sculpture of the mythical bird Jatayu, symbolises the protection of women. The sculpture has a length of 200 feet, width of 150 feet and height of 70 feet. ... Read more

Kerala has registered a 35 per cent increase in Chinese tourist inflow to the state, informed Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran. The minister also said that trade relationship between the two neighbouring countries is good for the all round development of the nations. “With more co-operation and people to people interactions there will be a steady increase in the flow of tourists to the state,” said the minister while addressing the gathering at “The need to strengthen India China Bilateral relations and co-operation for Peace and Development” seminar at Press Club. “The trade between India and China has touched $84 billion and this ... Read more

Kannur and the associated northern districts of Kerala are famous for its Theyyam performances. Theyyam is a popular ritual form of worship with several thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs. The Government of Kerala is setting up a museum for this divine art form in Kannur. The foundation stone for the museum will be laid on February 28, 2019 as a part of the 100 day celebration of the government. The museum will be set up at Chanthappura in Kalyassery of Kannur. Kasaragod, Karivalloor, Nileswaram, Kurumathoor, Cherukunnu, Ezhom and Kunnathoorpadi in North Malabar are places where Theyyams are performed annually (Kaliyattam) and draw ... Read more

A new non profit travel society/association, named Kerala Travel’s & Tour’s Consortium (KTTC), is all set to have an official launch on February 16, 2019 at Hotel Palace Inn, Angamaly. “The forming and inaugural ceremony to be held at 4.30 pm in Angamaly, will select the office bearers of the consortium,” said Mebin Roy. The consortium has around 20 members from across Kerala. “We need only 1-3 agents depending upon the city, in the stage 1. Our mission is to make profit through group activities, like tour packages,” he said. KTTC already has fixed departures (both Inbound & Outbound) on every month from ... Read more

GoAir will launch direct flights on Kannur–Abu Dhabi–Kannur route effective March 1, 2019. The airline will operate four direct flight services per week between the destinations with bookings now open at an all-inclusive one way fare starting from Rs 6099. This sector will further strengthen the airline’s growing international network to the Gulf and travellers will now have the opportunity to experience affordable travel experience that GoAir is acknowledged with. “Commercial and cultural links between India and UAE are flourishing and GoAir is committed to contribute in facilitating and enhancing the growth of trade and the strong demand for tourism. ... Read more

Photo Courtesy: Prasanna Venkatesh The Kerala Budget presented in the Assembly today by Finance Minister Thomas Issac has earmarked Rs 372 crore for the Kerala Tourism. Out of the total budget allocated for tourism, Rs 82 crore will be earmarked for tourism marketing. “The most important aspect regarding the growth of tourism industry is effective marketing. Entrepreneurship has increased because of the marketing efforts carried out under the leadership of the government. We need to strengthen the tourism marketing considering the damages of Nipah and the devastating floods and harthals have made on the industry,” said the minister presenting the budget. ... Read more

The Amaravathi Township project Amaravathi model townships to come up in Kochi, said Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Issac during his Budget presentation today. Amaravathi Township, the main project of Urban Development Authority in Mangalagiri, was started with the vision of making the capital of Andhra Pradesh like Singapore. It collaborated with Singapore house construction corporation – Sarbana International (Sesma International) and is planning to construct 2, 3 bed room and duplex flats in 50 acres. The township will contain under ground current wires, gas supply by pipes and fiber optic communication lines. The Andhra Pradesh government is also planning to develop ... Read more

The Kerala state Finance Minister Thomas Issac has presented the Kerala Budget 2019 at the Assembly today. And, in his budgetary speech, he said that the the largest heritage conservation project in India, the Muziris Heritage Project, will be completed by 2021. Muziris is an ancient port town in Kerala, which still holds a kind of beauty that is filled with history and culture. And through the project, we get ready to travel back in time for centuries. What this old port town dishes out to us along with history and culture, are the remnants of its past glory, still ... Read more

Kerala budget presentation begins at the Assembly. Finance Minister Thomas Issac has presented the fourth budget of the present government and the tenth of his. The finance minister, in his budget, has said that the Wayanad coffee will be branded under the name ‘Malabar’. The budget presentation also says that Wayanad will be declared as a special zone for horticulture. Issac also suggested giving bank loans for planting trees in Wayanad  in the budget.  

Though the year has been in all way not favourable for the tourism industry in Kerala, the state has registered marginal growth in both international and domestic tourist arrivals last year. Kerala Tourism is going ahead with its marketing and promotional initiatives both in the domestic and international markets to lure more tourists into the God’s Own Country. The state has set a target to double foreign tourist visits from the current 10 lakh a year to 20 lakh a year by 2020. It also has plans to grow the domestic tourist visits by at least 50 per cent in ... Read more

Kerala finds a place in the 19 places shortlisted by CNN this year for travel enthusiasts to visit in 2019. “This area of India has it all: sun, sea, sand, good food, houseboats, culture and wildlife. Its spectacular natural landscapes — think palm trees and sprawling backwaters — lend the region the nickname “God’s Own Country,” the report says. The report also talks about the devastating floods in August 2018, “Severe floods during the summer of 2018 wreaked havoc across this southwestern state, but many of its top tourist destinations escaped unscathed.” The Cochin International Airport and its solar panels are ... Read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the project “Development of Spiritual Circuit: Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple-Aranmula-Sabarimala” being implemented under the Swadesh Drashan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in the presence of Palanisamy Sathasivam, Governor of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan Chief Minister of Kerala, K J Alphons, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism, in Kerala today. The project ‘Development of Spiritual Circuit: Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple-Aranmula-Sabarimala’ was sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism in 2016-17 for Rs 92.22 crores. Majority of work under this project has been carried out at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The Sree Padmanabaswamy Temple is ... Read more

Union Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism, K J Alphons announced that the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned projects worth Rs 85.23 crore for the development of Spiritual Circuit III for Kerala under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. The sites identified under the circuit are spread across all 14 districts of the state and cover 133 religious places. He said the districts where the projects would be implemented are : Kasargode, Wayand, Kannur, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Malappuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Idukki, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Pathanamhitta, Kollam and Thiruvanathapuram . The Minister said the destinations have been selected keeping in view the inherent historic, cultural ... Read more

The main entrance of the temple Considered as a most important pilgrimage site in Kerala, the iconic Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram has been the prime attraction for the domestic tourists and devotees in and outside the state over the years. And, with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting this richest temple in the world, the authorities are expecting a major thrust in religious tourism in the capital city. The Padmanabhaswamy temple has been witnessing a footfall around 10-15 lakhs pilgrims annually, where the occupancy rate of hotels and lodges is always 100 per cent almost round the year. The temple hit headlines ... Read more