Kerala the destination...

2013-12-22T16:40:00.001+05:30

CHEMBRA PEAK
Chembra Peak (Malayalam: ചെമ്പ്ര കൊടുമുടി) is the highest peak in Wayanad, at 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) above sea level. Chembra is located near the town of Meppady and is 8 km south of Kalpetta. It is part of the Wayanad hill ranges in Western Ghats, adjoining theNilgiri Hills in Tamilnadu and Vellarimala in Kozhikode district in Kerala. Chembra Peak is accessible by foot from Meppady. District Tourism Promotion Council provides guides and trekking equipment on hire charges to tourists. Permission from the forest office in Meppady is required for trekking up to Chembra Peak. A heart shaped lake on the way to the top of the peak is a major tourist attraction. The lake is believed to have never dried up. You can find the lake halfway to the peak, after getting to the lake you need to trek another halfway, which is through the dense trees of about one to two km. A 5 km journey from Meppadi town through tea estates to Erumakkolli.

DTPC and GVR productions will conduct an Open DJ event in Kochi.

2011-12-29T09:30:00.001+05:30

To give an experience of authentic dub music to the Kochiites, District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) along with GVR productions will conduct an open DJ musical event next month. The event named ‘DUB MUSIC NITE’ will be first of its kind in Kerala. The programme to be held at DH ground on January 14 is expected to attract both youth and families. Dub, a genre of music evolved from reggae music of early 1960’s, has its influence across many other music genres like reggae, ambient, chillout, psybient, qawwali, digital, because of its extensive use of echo, reverb, bassline etc.

Unlike rock and techno music, dub music is soothing and enjoyable to all kind of people of all ages. “In a fast paced world, people prefer ambient and other relaxation music to ease the pressure. We hope this program will provide a chance to enjoy the experiments in sound in contemporary music. Open DJ is not an usual event in Kerala and youngsters, both boys and girls, in Kochi can enjoy the event with its vibrant music. Since people of Kerala have good exposure to international music it will be easy for them to accept dub music,” said Febil Kumar, senior official of the GVR production.
According to DTPC secretary T N Jayashankar, the programme will attract tourists as well as the locals. “The department is introducing the programme as it will attract tourists in large number. The programme will be unique as a different genre of music will be played in the programme. The programme is expected to be a crowd puller,” Jayashankar said.

Source-New Indian Express

The Durbar Hall Ground will get a new look.

2011-12-28T10:00:00.000+05:30

The renovation project of the Durbar Hall Ground which aims to meet international standards, will be inaugurated in the afternoon on December 30, according to District Collector Sheik Pareeth. Ministers from the district, MPs and MLAs will attend the programme. The tourism department has sanctioned Rs 1.40 crore for the project. A discussion was held on the master plan by Minister of Tourism A P Anil Kumar, MLA Hibi Eden and the Collector.

A state of the art theatre will be set up using the most modern technology. The stage will be renovated in such a way as to project a 70-mm digital screen. The height of the stage will be raised slightly so that spectators from any part of the ground can be see it. Those seated in vehicles around the ground can also get to listen to what’s going on. A beautiful walkway will pass over the top of the stage.
A green room will also be put in place. The construction will be in tune with Kerala architecture. The roof of the stage will have an artificially made lawn and seating arrangements, he said. The back side of the stage can be used for film screening.
Support from film technicians will be sought for developing the theatre into an world class one. This will be one of the best spots for families to spend the evenings. Steps will be taken to organise entertainment programmes every day and screen global films once a week, he said.
The collector examined the technical aspects of the Durbar Hall Ground along with architects, engineers and DTPC officials.

Source-The Indian Express

The trade show ‘Vyapaar 2011' starts on December 21.

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000+05:30

The curtains will go up on the ‘Vyapaar 2011,' a trade show, at the Mascot Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram on December 21.
The trade conclave till December 25 and play host for a diverse range of products, suppliers and service providers, a spokesman for OneRoof India organisers, said.
One Roof India is a player in the event and marketing arena in Kerala, and has offices in Bangalore, Chennai and Dubai.

The five-day event would also set a platform for a wide range of discussions and demonstrations of technology and expertise.
The trade show would seek to open new vistas in the areas of establishing new business relationships, demonstration of products, services and technology, and would also facilitate meetings with decision-makers, buyers and technical leaders.

It would also provide a platform for a focused and value-driven gathering of manufacturers, dealers, suppliers, designers, service providers and professionals. Vyapaar 2011 would ensure that the attendees get the opportunity to stay updated with the latest consumer trends and technologies and also forge new business relationships.

The event is expected to feature 100 companies, manufacturers, businesses, dealers, strategists and Government institutions.
It would also double up as a venue for a wide variety of sessions and workshops related to varied areas of interest.

“Novel ideas and products from different industrial sections and new technologies that drive businesses will add charm to Vyapaar 2011,” says Mr Siji Nair, Managing Director, OneRoofIndia.

“We have planned the event in such a way that Vyapaar 2011 will usher in better times to Kerala's industrial horizon,” he added.

Lectures and seminars on online marketing, investment opportunities in Kerala, innovation and entrepreneurship, business integrating technology, and Tourism will be organised in association with Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram. These apart, quiz competitions and painting contests will be conducted for school and college students.

Another important fixture of Vyapaar 2011 will be the Franchising Day, where in representatives from around 20 companies will meet potential investors face-to-face and discuss new opportunities in investment.

Source-The hindu Businessline.

Coming days Kochi will offer a midnight shopping experience.

2011-12-17T09:02:00.000+05:30

As part of the ongoing Grand Kerala Shopping Festival, Kochi will offer a midnight shopping experience to customers for 14 days from December 20. All shops here will remain open till mid-night and serve customers from across the country and abroad. Named Cochin Night Shopping, this unique event will add more colour to the spirit of tourists and shoppers who are in Kerala for the festival. Night-shopping will add more flavours to Christmas celebrations, the organisers said in a release. The state-wide shopping festival is being promoted by the Department of Tourism. Entertainment shows and cultural programmes will be held every night at certain main locations. Also, special contests would be held among shoppers sponsored by participating shops. KSRTC has arranged bus Services for night shoppers. Pre paid taxi and auto counters have also been arranged in certain locations in the city. Customers can encash the bus tickets at the shops after their shopping at the counters.

Single window clearance system for film shootings in the State.

2011-12-16T05:30:00.000+05:30

God's Own Country is set to bank on the reel world to showcase its mystic mountains and serene backwaters to the global tourist.
To make 'cinematic tourism' a reality, the State government is planning to roll out a single-window clearance system for global co-production of films in the state, minister for tourism A P Anil Kumar on Wednesday told on the sidelines of a session on Discovering Kerala Through Cinema, held as part of the ongoing International Film Festival of Kerala.

The Union tourism minister has earlier announced monetary support to those States forming such single-window clearance cells.

Kumar expressed confidence that movies filmed in Kerala would act as the State tourism's brand ambassadors. To attract film crew, the State would consider slashing charges collected for allowing units to shoot at tourist hotspots.

Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Shaji N Karun said Kerala could become a global film co-production destination if the state's unique selling point was properly marketed. Kerala, he said, has beautiful tourist spots ideal for shooting, besides heritage sites reflecting its historic links with various cultures of the world.

The excellent post-production facilities and qualified film technicians available at lower costs would be an added attraction, the filmmaker said.

"It is important to recognise marketing as an important aspect of film-making process. New technologies have thrown up hitherto unavailable marketing opportunities even for small filmmakers," Karun said.

Filmmaker Kamal recalled the "numerous enquries" received from abroad about films made in locations with historical importance.

Chalachithra Academy general council member and actor Ravindran said the academy was planning workshops where producers, directors and other stakeholders from India and abroad could discuss the details of co-production. The academy would also explore the possibilities of marketing Malayalam films at various festivals and universities in India and abroad.

R Sarat, who recently canned a Hindi movie in China, said it was important to form a nodal agency equipped to deal with whole range of issues relating to co-production, including cultural and political sensitivities of partnering countries.

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Source - Times Of India

Sabarimala revenue touches Rs 77.72 crore.

2011-12-15T14:30:00.000+05:30

SABARIMALA: The total revenue earnings at Lord Ayyappa temple during the period ended December 13 stood at `77.72 crore as against `58.78 crore during the corresponding period in the last pilgrimage season.
Revealing this, Travancore Devaswom Board president M Rajagopalan Nair said that the increase in the revenue was mainly because of around 20 per cent increase in the arrival of pilgrims during the ongoing season.
Of the total revenue, the income from aravana sales stood at `33.68 crore during the period under review as against `24.25 crore in the same period last season.
The hundi collection came to `26.64 crore during the period under review in contrast to `21.65 crore during the corresponding period last season.
The income from the sales of appam stood at `7.25 crore as against `5.30 crore, he said.
Source - Express buzz.

Mullaperiyar controversy severely affecting tourism season in Kerala.

2011-12-15T13:00:00.000+05:30

The Mullaperiyar controversy has badly affected the peak tourism season of Kerala, with the Thekkady-Munnar circuit almost completely erased from the itinerary of travellers and the rest of the tourist hotspots also feeling the pinch slowly.
The cancellations in hotels and resorts in the Thekkady belt are increasing with each passing day, and the Kumily town remains one of the worst hit owing to the stand-off on the Mullaperiyar issue. The violence erupted over the Mullaperiyar issue in border areas after the onset of the current peak tourism season has sent an unwelcome message to the tourists, both domestic and foreign. “We don’t actually know what could be done now and how to retrieve the losing season, amid the volatile situation. Now the Mullaperiyar issue has affected Kerala’s tourism sector in an unimaginable proportion. It may affect the IT and other sectors of the state as well,” said Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar.

“The issue is so sensitive as it involves the fear for life of 30 lakh people. But, at the same time, the reverses in the tourism front will take a lot of time to be put back on rail,” he told.
Thekkady and Kumily areas, which should have been a beehive of tourists, remain deserted compared to the past season. Prohibitory orders have been issued and the border has been sealed. The best indicator is the scenario at the KTDCs Lake Palace, situated in the middle of the Mullaperiyar lake. Out of the six rooms, including a suite, in the summer residence of the earstwhile Travancore royalty, there was just one occupant on Tuesday. “On Monday alone, there were 12 cancellations. That too, including a group which had paid `2.5 lakh as advance for bookings for four days in January,” K J Johnson, manager of Lake Palace, said.
In the Periyar House with 44 rooms and Aranya Nivas with 30 rooms also the situation is no different . “Lot of cancellations are taking place. A French national has specifically mentioned in his e-mail on Wednesday that he is cancelling his trip on account of the Mullaperiyar issue,’’ another top official said. “No one is coming for boat ride in the lake either. Most of the trips have been cancelled and a namesake trip is run only in the evening,” Johnson said.
“The business has dipped by at least 90 per cent after trouble broke out. Hundreds of bookings have been cancelled. The situation is grave,’’ said Shine Varghese, proprietor of Mount Sinai Tourist Home, Kumily. “It is indeed an unexpected setback to Kerala during the tourism season. We are watching the situation. With the intervention of the Supreme Court and also the Central Government now, a ray of hope is coming. We may be able to overcome the situation soon,” Tourism Secretary T K Manoj kumar said. “However, the Kovalam-Alappuzha-Kochi-Kumarakom circuit is not affected in a big way,’’ said a key official of Hotel Samudra, Kovalam.

Source-The New Indian Express.

CHEMBRA PEAK

2011-12-12T16:36:00.001+05:30

Chembra Peak (Malayalam: ചെമ്പ്ര കൊടുമുടി) is the highest peak in Wayanad, at 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) above sea level. Chembra is located near the town of Meppady and is 8 km south of Kalpetta. It is part of the Wayanad hill ranges in Western Ghats, adjoining the Nilgiri Hills in Tamilnadu and Vellarimala in Kozhikode district in Kerala. Chembra peak is accessible by foot from Meppady. District Tourism Promotion Council provides guides and trekking equipments on hire charges to the tourists. Permission from the forest office in Meppady is required for trekking up to Chembra Peak. A heart shaped lake on the way to the top of the peak is a major tourist attraction. The lake is believed to have never dried up. You can find the lake half way to the peak, after getting to the lake you need to trek another half way which is through the dense trees of about one to two km. A 5 km journey from Meppadi town through tea estates to Erumakkolli.
Transportation
One can reach the forest office, from where a pass has to be acquired to trek the mountain. Also services of guide can be availed which might be very useful. The trek to the top takes 3 hours, and one can see almost the whole of Wayanad and parts of Malappuram, Kozhikkode and Nilgiri districts.
Chembra is located in Meppadi (Meppady) Panchayath, 11 km off NH212 (Kollegal - Mysore - Kozhikode). For people who prefer public transport, KSRTC (both Kerala & Karnataka) and a lot of private companies operate overnight deluxe buses between Kozhikode (aka Calicut) and Bengaluru. People taking buses can get down at Kalpetta and catch another bus to Meppadi. Meppadi is 11 km from Chundale, in the SH29, connecting Chundale to Ooty.

PHOTOS OF CHEMBRA PEAK

Our Guide

Heart shaped lake on the top

Heart Shaped Lake

Kerala's High speed rail corridor expected to begin in 2013.

2011-12-10T13:00:00.000+05:30

The preliminary works on the proposed high-speed rail corridor linking Thiruvananthapuram with Mangalore are expected to begin in 2013. The first phase of the project — the Thiruvananthapuram-Kochi link — would be ready in five-and-a-half years, according to T. Balakrishnan, chairman and managing director of the Kerala High Speed Rail Corporation.
The high-speed corridor is expected to be commissioned in 2020, and the trains would have an approximate speed of 300 km per hour, he said here on Friday, after inaugurating the Kerala chapter day 2011 and the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Travel Agents' Association of India.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's (DMRC) report on the project is expected in another six months.

Mr. Balakrishnan spoke at length about the availability of a wide choice of technology from around the world and plenteous funds for the project that is estimated to cost Rs.1.18 lakh crore. “We would be able to raise this money since NRK's and others are willing to help. The benefits would be shared by everyone. The average speed of trains in India is 60 km per hour now. The old, existing rails were built for a particular purpose. In many sectors, we are still in the 19th century,” he said.

NEED OF THE HOUR
“The expressway mooted from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod should have been built long ago. We cannot be satisfied anymore with incremental progress. The whole of India needs high-speed rail networks and Kerala should be pioneers in the field. Even China has built a massive (high-speed) rail network,” he said and exhorted travel agents to advocate faster and better transportation modes.
On the state of Kerala's tourism sector, he spoke of how Kerala Tourism needed to reinvent itself. Once its best products, the backwaters and ayurveda had become a little stale, he said.

Referring to the challenges faced by travel agents, Mr. Balakrishnan said that travel would never go out of fashion. The sector had bounced back after every crisis since people loved travelling, for leisure or pilgrimage. But stakeholders in the sector must constantly change and adapt to the changing situation.

The others who spoke at the function include Austin Varghese, chairman of the association; K.C. Chandrahasan, former chairman; N.M. Sharafudeen, vice-president; Mary Mohan James, honorary secretary; and Riaz Ahmed, president of Kerala Travel Mart Society. Mr. Chandrahasan spoke of the need to invest in good human resources.

Source-The Hindu

Hike in the number of delegates in IFFK 2011.

2011-12-09T17:00:00.000+05:30

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: More than 10,000 delegates, ten cine-halls, 196 films; the landmark event is ready to begin on a high note in the city. As per official statistics, 9,200 delegate registrations, apart from 2,000 media registrations, have been recorded till Wednesday. Of the 9,200 registrations, 2,400 are students and around 1,300 are women. Nearly 300 women journalists have signed up in the media category.
Compared to season 15, the official statement says, this year has seen a marked increase in the number of delegate registrations. The huge inflow of cine-literate crowd is also expected to have positive impact on the tourism sector.
According to U V Jose, director of the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS), “This season has seen a marked dip in the inflow of European tourists following the global recession. Events like the IFFK could make difference".
According to him, compared to domestic tourists, foreigners spend more time visiting tourist destinations. The domestic tourists, he says, prefer to devote their time watching movies.
The number of rooms reserved for festival guests in some hotels in the city shows that the festival period is a good omen for the tourist season also. Shaji M, manager of Jas Hotel at Thycaud, says, "Out of the 43 rooms in the hotel, 20 have been reserved for the IFFK delegates".
K Vinod Kumar, marketing manager of Hotel Horizon in the city, says: ''Other than the IFFK guests, domestic delegates Chennai, Goa and Mumbai and foreign delegates from Denmark and Iran would seek accommodation in the hotel.”
Says Bandhu Prasad of Guest Relations and Hospitality section of Kerala State Chalachitra Academy: "From December 8 to 17, the rooms are reserved in hotels. and the list of people to be accommodated will be given some ten days before the commencement of the festival.”
Places like Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan and International Hostel in the city are reserved for festival delegates for a week.

Source-IBN Live

India is ready for gay travelers.

2011-12-08T13:51:00.001+05:30

Are gay and lesbian travelers different from straight ones? Yes and no.
They are inquisitive about the same destinations (for example Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan in India) but are more sensitive to local culture, food and even religious practices.

Besides, based on mere finances, (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) tourism is a US$65 billion industry in the United States alone. Surveys there suggest that gays and lesbians are more affluent and travel more, as much as two or three times a year.

To tap into this lucrative and expanding market, the 1st Asian Symposium on Gay and Lesbian Tourism was held at the Le Méridien Hotel, New Delhi on November 28.
Organized by Community Marketing, a U.S.-based LGBT market research company, this business-to-business event brought together about 75 tour and hotel operators.

Indian activists Ashok Row Kavi, founder of Humsafar Trust, and Manavendra Singh Gohil, chairperson of the Lakshya Trust, were the symposium's keynote speakers.

'India is ready for gay travelers'.
The choice of destination for the event surprised many.
In Asia, Thailand is considered the friendliest LGBT country. China, Singapore and Japan all form the top rung. India, meanwhile, is almost invisible on the gay travel map right now.

“We wanted to make a statement saying that India is ready for gay travelers,” says Thomas Roth, president, Community Marketing. This after the Delhi High Court struck down provisions of Section 377 and decriminalized homosexuality in India in July 2009.

“The idea is also to create a platform for tour operators to send out a message to the worldwide community that we are gay-friendly,” adds Abhinav Goel, founder, Out Journeys, a gay and lesbian tour operator in India and one of the sponsors of the symposium.

Of course, making a mere statement would be rather pointless.

One of the biggest areas that the symposium addressed was training hotel and tour personnel to be more accepting and less discriminatory. For instance, the word queer is acceptable in India but shunned in many other countries. And you don’t call a same-sex couple "friends". You call them "partners".

Gay travelers to India also often find themselves in an awkward quandary when men or women partners are given a room with separate twin beds instead of one double one. Since they don't feel as safe here, they’re hesitant to request for changes.

Besides the general attitude that needs to change over time, these are small things that can make a traveler happy.

“Because one bad word from a gay traveler on an Internet forum can do immense damage,” explains Goel.

Indian officials give it a miss.
The way forward is going to be tricky. Concise forums and presentations aren’t enough.
Organizers say that countries like Brazil, Thailand and Spain are extremely popular among LGBT travelers because their governments have created a welcoming environment.

But the Indian government seems to have a long way to go.

Three Indian officials had registered to attend the symposium but didn’t turn up. Thailand sent four people and even paid for their trip.

“It’s an incredible effort on the part of the local travel agents to do this on their own despite not getting support from the tourism ministry, which I think is an opportunity squandered,” says Sylvia Tan, editor of gay news and media site Fridae.asia, who traveled from Singapore to attend the symposium.

India now has about seven tour operators dedicated to the LGBT market. And established players like Cox & Kings have expressed interest in this segment.

“The audience also heard from Amit Prasad, chief operating officer of Go India Journeys, who has recently set up a team of three staff members out of a staff strength of 65 to research and meet the needs of LGBT travellers,” writes Tan in her report on the conference.

Himmat Anand, founder of Tree of Life resort, Jaipur, also participated and was one of the speakers. But the way forward is to bring larger hotel chains like Taj and Oberoi into the fold.

And of course, those elusive ministry officials.

Plans are, in fact, already being drawn for the second edition. Jaipur and Mumbai are both being considered, though Thailand makes a very strong case.
Source-CNN GO

Illegal homestays to face stern action

2011-12-07T09:00:00.000+05:30

KOCHI: A monitoring committee will be formed by the district administration to examine the issues faced by the owners of homestays in Fort Kochi and to root out unlicensed homestays.

At a meeting organized by the Kerala Homestay and Tourism Society (KHATS) on Tuesday, district collector P I Sheik Pareeth promised that the committee would meet once in every month and address the issues faced by tourists in Fort Kochi.

"Fort Kochi has a unique cultural background and it is the duty of the Fort Kochi inhabitants to preserve and promote it.

The district administration, after hearing the complaints of KHATS, has decided to open the already completed latrine facility here and will soon start a waste treatment plant for waste management. Also, the concern about the functioning of unlicensed homestays will be addressed," the collector said. He added that retired army and navy policemen who can speak English, Hindi and French languages would be employed for the benefit of tourists.

KHATS president M P Sivadathan said that around 200 homestays operate in Fort Kochi alone, of which only 28 have licence.

"Most owners think that only a police clearance certificate is needed to start operation, but that is just one of the few documents required.

We have requested the collector to ensure that all existing homestays function as per the stipulated rules.
Once foreign tourists get a wrong impression about Kerala tourism, it will act against our business," he said.

Source The Times of India.

KERALA TO BECOME GLOBAL PILGRIM TOURISM CENTRE.

2011-12-04T11:46:00.000+05:30

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the state government would place more thrust on pilgrim tourism and was planning to introduce a special package,

Kerala with its large number of temple, churches, mosques and several other places of worship, will soon become global pilgrim tourist centre.
The Keral Government has decided to launch a pilgrim tour called "Darshan Yatra" across the state to promote pilgrim tourism and thus to woo more tourists to the state.

The state tourism department has drawn up a special package for the "Darshan Yatra" as per which tourists can choose the pilgrim destinations for their choice.

Under the plan, Kerala been divided into three zones according to the presence of major pilgrim centres. The yatra will be arranged in three packages lasting two days, tourism officials said.

The first tour beginning from Thiruvananthapuram, will cover places like Kovalam, Tiruvallam, Attukal, Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Veli and Neyyar dam.

Another group will begin from Kochi and cover the Ernakulathappan temple, Kaladi, Thripunithura, Athirampuzha, Guruvayur and Kadampuzha. The third group will start from angamali and cover the places like Kanniyur, Bharananganam, Malayattur, Pala and Valiyapalli, source said

Chief Minister also said the government plans to set up a global village in kerala's commercial capital kochi to woo foreign tourists.

Get ready to relax India International Travel Mart (IITM) is here in Hyderabad.

2011-12-03T15:00:00.000+05:30

The People’s Plaza at Necklace Road resembles a store house of Republic day floats, waiting to surprise the discerning visitor to the place. Not surprisingly, it is this very unique selling proposition of the India International Travel Mart (IITM) that promises to endear it to one’s senses.

Walk through the replica of the Warangal Gate at the Andhra Pradesh stall or sit on ethnic wooden chairs in the courtyard of a mahal at the Rajasthan stall. Or better yet, ask to watch dandiya dancers perform a captivating dance around the Gujarati stall, just for you.

And for those seeking a glance at heritage sculptures of our ancient Indian or a riot of emotions on print, the stalls of Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir entice you in equal measure.

“The travel mart has definitely grown bigger this year. From around 30 stalls when it started 10 years back, today there are over 150 participants from around the globe and country”, commented Rohit Hangal, director of Sphere Travel Media and Exhibition, organisers of the mart. And the increased participation means increased fortunes as well.

“Such shows are a brand building exercise. Hyderabad may not receive a huge crowd as do similar shows in Bangalore, but here the retail market is bigger, whereas in these other cities it’s all about business-to-business (B2B) transactions”, said R Abhishek of makemytrip.com, which is also a part of the fair.

As if to prove his point, Abhishek points out that already within the space of a few hours, they have registered a couple of confirmed bookings worth `1.5 lakhs each, to travel to destinations like Singapore and Malaysia. Even Nikita Rawatani of TMIC, a travel agent company, admitted that despite the first day of any travel mart being a B2B affair, Hyderabad is a great crowd puller for all kinds of travellers.

But the beauty of this year’s travel mart is the approach to accommodate foreign bound destinations as well.
I
f a shining red board that screams Swiss rail welcomes you at the entrance, inside one can soak in stalls of Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia and Dubai among others, which present equally good descriptions of the exotic destinations.

Krishna Dhakal at the Nepal stall expressed hope that more South Indians would be aware of Nepal as a tourism destination and visit the mountain country soon. Some tour operators such as Sri Lankan airlines were also seen offering discounts and free tours for spot bookings.

Their representative Raveesh revealed, “We have already managed to get booking from a tour operator who visited us in the morning. He had come looking for discounted offers to Sri Lanka for a team travelling under him. Apart from that a number of queries are pouring in. This is a good sign, since this is the first day and the queries received can be translated into business transactions over a period of time.”

Earlier in the day, Sabyasachi Ghosh, commissioner-tourism of the Goverment of Andhra Pradesh expressed hope that the travel mart would help register an increase in both inbound and outbound tourists from the state. He also announced the ongoing eco- tourism project being undertaken in the backward district of Adilabad and stressed on the plan to implement Phase II of the Charminar project as soon as possible.

“Restoration and illumination of tombs that fall under the heritage circuit in Hyderabad will be undertaken in the new phase”, he added.

Kerala is all set to develop a global village aimed at promoting tourism.

2011-12-02T19:00:00.000+05:30

KOCHI: Kerala is all set to develop a global village aimed at promoting tourism, travel and business. While inaugurating the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival on Thursday, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had announced the setting up of a global village in Kochi. Though the proposal is only in the initial stages, the government is determined to go ahead with the idea of a global village that would cater to the promotion of business and tourism.
“The concept is to develop a centralised area where traders from the state and foreign countries can set up their business establishments,” Ernakulam District Collector Sheik Pareeth said. “The Chief Minister has only announced the setting up of the global village. We have to work further on the concept.
The basic thing is that Kochi was chosen as the centre for setting up the global village,” he said. Pareeth said the area would be mainly for business transactions between the state and other countries. “The global village will involve import and export business,” he said. The global village will be designed as a centralised place where business transactions can take place. Several countries can set up their pavilions there. Tourism could also get a boost as more traders will come to the place. “When asked if any land has been earmarked for the project, Pareeth said the land was yet to be identified. “Talks are only in the initial stages,” Pareeth said and added that a system had to be developed and a final decision would be taken in the coming days.

KSWTD has decided to start Alappuzha-Kuttanad circular Cruise Boats services.

2011-12-01T20:29:00.001+05:30

ALAPPUZHA: Taking cue from the success of Alappuzha-Kollam tourism cruise boat service, the Kerala State Water Transport Department (KSWTD)has decided to start Alappuzha-Kuttanad circular cruise to tap the tourism potential of the district. The construction of the two boats with a capacity of 90 seats is in the final stage at the Kannur Azheekal Boat Construction Yard of Steel Industries Kerala Limited (SILK)
“The new services will begin in a month. And with the introduction of the new low-cost cruise boats, people will get an opportunity to enjoy the scenic beauty of Kuttanad, Vembanad and Ashtamudi lakes with just Rs 300,” KSWTD director Shaji V Nair said.
“The KSWTD started its low-cost cruise for tourists in 2010 and it turned out to be success,” said Shaji V Nair, KSWTD director.
“The collection of the Alappuzha-Kollam cruise boats between September 2010 and May 2011 was over 50 lakh,” he added. “When private parties are collecting Rs 350 for one hour journey in the back water, the KSWTD is charging only Rs 300 for eight hour journey in Alappuzha-Kollam tourism cruise boats,” he said. The boat journey covers Punnamada lake, Kuttanad paddy fields, the statue of Karumadikuttan, one of the largest statues of Lord Buddha, Pallana Kumarakodi, Thrikkunnapuzha coir village and Amrithapuri-the head quarters of the Matha Amrithanandhamayi mutt,” said Ashokan, finance officer of the SWTD.

Kochi turns art mart destination

2011-11-30T06:28:00.001+05:30

Durbar Hall Art Centre, the State Lalithakala Akademi's modernized art gallery of international standards, was dedicated to the nation by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at a function at the Durbar Hall premises on Sunday.
The modernisation project of the gallery that took about a year and cost Rs.3 crore taken up by the Kochi Biennale Foundation has provided over 10,000 square feet of space for displaying works of art in two floors, making it a premier space that the artists will enjoy here, said Mr. Chandy.
With the opening of the all-new Durbar Hall art gallery and the mushrooming of several big and small art galleries, Kochi is being transformed into one of the most important art circuits in the country. Quite a change from its earlier static and uninspiring art scene.
Now the harbour city is set to become a favourite destination for the artistic fraternity across the country.

“The Durbar Hall art gallery is now the finest gallery in the country. It will undoubtedly attract the most talented artists from across the world,” predicted Riyas Komu, secretary of the Kochi Biennale Foundation, which had undertaken the gallery’s renovation.
The gallery has been remodeled along international standards, using lights imported from Germany and climate and pest-control facilities, he said.
The renovation was done by the Mumbai-based conservation architect, Vikas Dilawari, with lighting arrangements by Sathish Rane from Pune.
The city has seen the mushrooming of several small and big art galleries in the recent past. Fort Kochi and Mattanchery are dotted with a number of galleries displaying creative works.

“The Durbar Hall gallery has been converted into one of the best galleries in the world. This is really going to be an international space. After the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, more international shows will come to Kochi,” says Mr. Rajan M Krishnan, a renowned artist.
T. Kaladharan, a veteran artist who was behind the establishment of the state’s renowned Kalapeedhom, welcomes the arrival of this modern gallery.
“There will be a host of exhibitions in the city now, especially with the Kochi Muziris Biennale exhibition scheduled in 2012. With the proliferation of galleries, there could be a tendency to come out with prints, which should be discouraged,” he cautioned.
The creative contribution of the younger generation of artists from the state like Riyas Komu, Bose Krishnamachari, Rajan M Krishnan, Zakeer Hussein, N.N. Rimson and many others have contributed to Kochi’s growth as a major art centre.
“There was a time when most Kerala artists preferred to move to other cities to continue their art career. But now the trend is showing a reversal,” adds Rajan.

The Grand Kerala Shopping extravaganza fire up on December 1 at Ernakulam.

2011-11-29T05:47:00.001+05:30

Kerala Tourism road show covers new area.

2011-11-28T07:33:00.001+05:30

Kerala tourism conducted road shows in Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Norway, Denmark,Finland. This is being conducted as there is tremendous growth in the tourists visiting in Kerala from these places. It is marketed to people through presentations, documentaries, trade interactions and visual display. The road show were held at Oslo (Norway) Nov 14, Copenhagen (Denmark) Nov 15, Helsinki (Finland) Nov 16 and at Stockholm (Sweden) Nov 17. There is active participation from Indian ambassadors also. The consolation prizes to the winners were free holiday tour package to Kerala include Ayurveda treatment. Jet airways sponsored the free air tickets for "Go Kerala" winners. In 2010, as many as 10,525 tourists arrived from Sweden (1.60 percent of the total tourist arrivals), Denmark 8,825 tourists (1.34 per cent), Finland 3,146 tourists (0.48 per cent), and Norway 2,583 tourists (0.39 per cent).

The Kochi skyline will again be ruled by the kite flyers from across the globe

2011-11-25T09:30:00.000+05:30

KOCHI: The Kochi skyline will again be ruled by the kite flyers from across the globe. The third edition of the Kerala Kite Festival will be held from January 21 to 23. Along with Kochi, a part of the festival will be held at Vagamon as well. Kite making, flying competition and other exciting events will mark the festival, which has attracted many people during its previous editions.
The event is being organised by the Kite Life Foundation (KLF), an NGO promoted by a group of kite flyers, in association with the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) and Kerala Tourism. “The competition will be open for all age groups irrespective of gender,” said Reema Nair, KLF council member.
“The competition will be based on three themes - the big kite, the best humanitarian message kite and the best innovative kite. Kite makers can use any material, which are either land filled products (recycled) or sourced from markets except plastic. “The winners will get prizes, certificates and membership in the Team Kerala Kite (Club) promoted by KLF,” Reema said.
“Team Kerala Kite has members from India and abroad. The KLF is invited to participate in many festivals in India and other countries. We also conduct workshops for students and offer new dimensions in kite making. The KLF uses kites for many cause related activities
that include scholarships for the students,” Reema added.
The KLF is promising an action packed aerial extravaganza with spectacular flying displays, awesome kites, colourful ground-based inflatable and air sculptors of various shapes and sizes. A spectacular array of air creations, including original air sculptures and collection of larger-than-life air kites. The festival will be held from 11 am to 6 pm.
Source IBN live

God's Own Country Wins CNBC Awaaz Travel Award

2011-11-25T06:30:00.000+05:30

Trivandrum : Kerala Tourism has added one more feather to its cap by setting new benchmarks for the industry in coming up with innovative marketing strategies and unique policy initiatives. The latest honour comes in the form of the CNBC Awaaz Travel Award 2011 for the `Best Tourism Board’ in the country. The award was recently presented to Dr Rathan Kelkar, Additional Director of Kerala Tourism, by the Union Minister for Tourism Subodh Kant Sahay, at a gala function held in New Delhi.

By winning the prestigious award in the same category for a second consecutive time, Kerala Tourism has reaffirmed its pre-eminent position among its peers. As part of selecting the winner, thousands of respondents from 12 cities across the country voted for their choice of travel services in a Pan-India study conducted by the Nielsen Company.

The CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards seeks to honour the best in class travel destinations and other ancillary services of the tourism industry. The awards also aim to comprehend the consumer mindset vis-à-vis services and initiatives provided by the stakeholders.
The award comes in the wake of several recent recognitions achieved by Kerala Tourism, which was voted as the Best Domestic Tourism Board of the Year by another media conglomerate – Times Group at the inaugural Times Travel Honours 2011. Kerala Tourism also bagged the ‘Favourite Indian State’ award at the Outlook Traveller Tourism Awards 2010 in February.

Kerala Tourism hit the international circuit in September last year with a new three-minute promotional ad film ‘Your moment is waiting’ which won Golden City Award, dubbed the Oscar of Travel industry, top honours at the New York Festivals, and three Golds at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

“This award is special as it reflects the sentiments of the travel industry in general and the consumers in particular. By winning the award again, Kerala has once again proved how it is dear to the domestic travelers,” remarked Rathan Kelkar.

“It is yet another proud moment for the Kerala Tourism and is a recognition to the initiatives by the Tourism Department to promote Kerala farther and wider as an international destination with world class infrastructure facilities. The present Government is very much committed to the task of improving the overall growth of tourism sector in the State,” commented the Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar, on winning the award.

“Such national recognitions spur us to chalk out bolder initiatives and measures to pitch God’s own Country as a world-class destination,” said Rani George, Director of Kerala Tourism.

The Water Transport Department has found a vessel to reach out across the globe.

2011-11-13T10:00:00.000+05:30

The Water Transport Department has found a vessel to reach out across the globe.
Even while shaking off its shackles and powering up to gather some momentum by adding new dockyards, boats, and services, the department is attempting to garner worldwide attention, mainly of tourists, with a website.

Its online mooring will offer details of the service trips, which are fast becoming popular among tourists as one of the most affordable modes to enjoy the beauty of the scenic backwaters.
www.swtd.gov.in, designed and developed by the National Informatics Centre, is already online. It has interesting links, one of which is “Places Enroute,” giving details of every trip of the department, with the starting time. What makes it interesting is a brief description of the sights one can behold en route. For instance, the 29-km Alappuzha-Edathua trip, which costs a mere Rs.10, covers some major landmarks: the finishing point of the internationally acclaimed Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Chavara Bhavan, and ancient temples and lamp posts, apart from lush paddy fields.

The “Boat Schedules” link comes up with information on not just the department's Alappuzha operations but also on those elsewhere in the State, as in Kottayam, Kollam, Ernakulam, Kannur, and Kasaragod. Under the “Tourism” head, the site offers useful information on the popular Kollam-Alappuzha tourist boat service, with tariffs and other operational details.

Shaji V. Nair, Director of the department, says the website is ready for a formal launch, which will be conducted shortly. The website is expected to help tourists in a major way and thus, make the department more popular among them.,

Kerala pavilion wins award

2011-11-13T06:44:00.000+05:30

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The Kerala pavilion, portraying a slice of the pristine beauty of God’s Own Country, has bagged the best stand award at the World Travel Market 2011, in London. Kerala Tourism, which set up the huge pavilion spread over 117 sqm on the theme of ‘backwater with Chinese fishing net,’ won the prize in the category of Best Stand Feature.

‘’This simple stand proved eye-catching for the judges thanks to a couple of features. A huge image of a Kerala backwater covering one wall was enhanced by a real-life fishing net stretching out into the stand as well as a canoe. The image told the story of the destination perfectly,’’ according to the statement by the award jury. Stark Communications Pvt Ltd had conceived and designed this stand. The pavilion by Kerala is the biggest of the kind by any State from India at the four-day WTM which started on November 7. Kerala Tourism is the lone State destination to win the best stand award while all other winners were national boards and international destinations. ‘’We are glad that we could present a slice of Kerala through this pavilion. We are conveying to the world that it is just a tiny glimpse of the beauty that our State has. It is a recognition for our efforts and big push to our future endeavours on the marketing front,’’ said Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar, who is leading the Kerala contingent at the event.
‘’We are overwhelmed by the response received at the fair. The simple, classy stand was a major crowd-puller and gave the business visitors an endearing taste of God’s Own Country,’’ said Tourism Secretary T K Manoj Kumar after receiving the award.
Source IBN live

DTPC is all set to introduce waterway tourism from Marine Drive to Kadambrayar.

2011-11-04T10:30:00.000+05:30

KOCHI: Tapping the tourism potential, District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) is all set to introduce waterway tourism from Marine Drive to Kadambrayar. DTPC is intending to introduce a leisure boat ride from Marine Drive to Kadambrayar. A trial run was conducted this year and the paper, to approve the proposal, has been submitted before the government.
The things to be done for the development of the waterway include dredging some shallow portions, removing water hyacinth from a few places and reintroducing boat service through this water route. For promoting the waterway and developing a tourism hub around Kadambrayar, the DTPC has selected the place as one among the four locales for ‘Utsavam’, which showcases Kerala’s ethnic art forms.
“An investment of about `50 lakh is intended for the first phase of the project. One of important things about the waterway is that it could decongest the traffic from Kochi to Pallikkara. House boats, speed boats and ordinary boats can be plied in this route. DTPC along with Destination Management Committee (DMC) will overlook the project and the basic infrastructure will be readied within a few months after getting the nod from the Tourism Ministry. A new DMC will be formed under the MLA and the work will be monitored by them. Currently, big boats cannot enter the waterway as bund created in Brahmapuram is blocking the route. The collector will visit the site to clear the work in Brahmapuram area,” DTPC official said.
As part of the project, seafood restaurants and shops will be set up on the either sides of the river. “The work of the walkway is almost over. The boat operators in Thevara, Marine Drive and Pallikara are ready to ply their boats in this area. The proposal also was given for setting up DMC office on the northern side of Boat Jetty near the High Court of Kerala. The Kadambrayar is all set to become one of the tourist hubs of the Kochi city with few years time,” DTPC official said.
Source IBN live