Kasaragod-Tvm NH Will Mark a Leap in Malabar Tourism: Minister Riyas

KOZHIKODE:
Tourism in the Malabar region will take a leap this year-end following the expected completion of the six-lane national highway between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram in December, Public Works and Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas said today.

The rapid development of tourism along the state’s northern region is boosting the economic growth of the whole of Kerala, he said after inaugurating the Gateway to Malabar Tourism B2B conference organised by the state tourism department.

“When this government took office (in summer 2021), the number of tourists to Malabar was only six per cent of the total number of tourists to Kerala. Today, there has been a surge in tourism in Malabar,” he said, noting that the PWD’s decision to open rest houses to the public has worked as an impetus.

As authorities are working for simultaneous completion of the road-work along the hilly stretch in the east and the coastal region across the west, the completion of these projects will help Kerala’s infrastructure rise to world-class standards. The coastal road will include rest facilities at 50-km intervals, he informed.

Noting that the involvement of private investors has been crucial to the tourism sector, Riyas cited an instance where a panchayat in Kasaragod district had currently two five-star hotels. “Of late, the number of homestays and resorts has increased significantly. Our vigorous campaign to bring weekend crowds from Bengaluru to Wayanad has borne fruit,” he added, citing Wayanad as one of the districts that earns the highest tourism revenue today.

In tourism, Kerala is competing with foreign countries and not with other states of the country, the Minister said. “Public-private partnership plays a very important role for this development,” he said. “The impact of the Tourism Investors Meet held in 2023 will soon be felt by the tourism sector in Kerala.”

Kozhikode District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh, who presided over the ceremony, said Kerala’s tourism merited no comparison with Goa despite the similarity in the looks between the two green states. Kerala Tourism’s support to Malabar in utilizing all its travel and hospitality potentials is significant, he added.

Kerala Tourism Director Sikha Surendran said Malabar will be rapidly developed as a region of comprehensive experiential tourism. The region offers endless potential with its adventure and eco-tourism destinations, culinary diversity, craftsmanship and ritual-art traditions, she pointed out.

Others at the function included Tourism Department Additional Secretary Jagadeesh D, Joint Director D Gireesh Kumar, Deputy Director Satyajith Shankar, ODEPC Chairman KP Anilkumar, Kerala Travel Mart Society President Jose Pradeep, KTIL Chairman SK Sajeesh, Raviz Kadavu Cluster GM Biju Palete, Metro Expedition Managing Editor Siji Nair, DTPC Secretary Nikhil Das, Wayanad Tourism Organization President K.R Vanjeeswaran, BRDC MD Shijin Parambath and Association Domestic Tour Operators India Former President P.P. Khanna.

Today’s B2B Meet seeks to tap on Malabar region’s rich but under-explored tourism potential and enable its key players in the travel and tourism industry from across India to forge meaningful collaborations.