Govt working on draft to declare tourism as industry: Min

Thiruvananthapuram: State govt is working on a draft to declare tourism as an industry and will consult with stakeholders before making an announcement in the first week of July, said tourism minister P C Vishnunadh.Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Vishnunadh said govt will give all facilities available for industries to tourism.“We have decided to take it forward.

Meetings are being held and decisions are being made.

The department will be able to say something about it in the first week of July,” he said.He also said that the 13th edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), which will be inaugurated by chief minister V D Satheesan on Sept 24 in Kochi, is an opportunity to rebrand the tag God’s Own Country and to rebrand the wellness offering because the state is competing with other countries.He said emphasis will be on promoting homestays and backwater tourism and added that it was decided that from next year onwards state would expand marketing efforts to countries where the state is yet to be marketed.Vishnunadh said that visitors come to experience a destination and not to sightsee. “In KTM itself we will arrange an opportunity for visitors to experience art and culture.

There is a plan to include theyyam, padayani and other cultural events in tourism calendar.”He also said that the brand Wayanad was included in the budget because there is a need to promote the destination, which saw a decline in tourist arrivals after the landslides in 2024.KTMS president Jose Pradeep said that KTM has already received 2,360 buyer registrations, including 610 international buyers and 1,750 domestic buyers.Stay updated with the latest Thiruvananthapuram news.

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