Keeping up the tempo set by the all-time record in domestic tourist arrivals in 2022, Kerala has drawn up a string of ambitious projects to position the entire state as an all-season experiential tourism hub of diverse attraction, Tourism and Public Works Shri P A Mohamed Riyas said today.
In a conversation with TV anchor and magician Shri Raj Kalesh at Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters (MBIFL) here, Shri Riyas said the Tourism Department is working on an integrated plan to give a major boost to cultural, food, monsoon, wellness and beach tourism, covering the whole of state.
â2022 was an year that saw Kerala making a big stride in tourism after the pandemic-induced downturn. Domestic tourist arrivals marked an all-time record of over 1.5 crore visitors. I can tell you in all confidence that 2023 is going to surpass what has been achieved in 2022â, Riyas said while talking on âKerala Tourism set to soar new heightsâ.
Kerala also received international accolades including TIME magazine and New York ranking the state as one of the must-see places on the planet, he said.
The State Design Policy, which is getting ready, will bring about a qualitative change in this crucial sector by turning the entire spectrum of physical infrastructure into tourism and people friendly and optimising unutilised spaces, he said.
Referring to some of the new projects in the offing, the Minister said a cultural tourism calendar is getting ready. As many as 10 beaches across the state have been identified to organise events on the lines of the highly successful Beypore water fest.
The Minister said major literature festivals like MBFIL will contribute significantly to cultural tourism.
Mathrubhumi Managing Director and Festival Chairman Shri M V Shreyams Kumar and Mathrubhumi Chairman and Managing Editor Shri P V Chandran, who is also the Chief Patron of the Festival, were also present.
One of Indiaâs biggest literary festivals, the MBIFL2023â, (known as âKaâ in Malayalam), is packed with a variety of events for literary icons from around the world and stalwarts of arts, media and films to engage in riveting conversations on live topics.
