Tourism tops in emerging Kerala agenda

Identified as one of the key sectors to propel Kerala’s future economic growth, tourism is going to be high on the agenda when investors across the continents would come down for the three-day summit, starting September 12 in Kochi.

Tourism Minister  A P Anilkumar said that the government had come out with a tourism policy, which sought to beef up the state’s infrastructure and involve people’s participation in a bigger scale.

“We are creating an atmosphere which would enable potential investors to be our long-term partners of growth. Emerging Kerala-2012 is going to be a wonderful chance for us to showcase our plans and projects before the world,” he said.

Some of the interesting projects from the private sector are a state-of-the-art hotel at the upcoming world-class Edu Health City at Panakkad, a Destination Development Boat Club at Thirurangadi, both in Malappuram district, Adventure Sports Arena at the picturesque Vagamon, a Mist Valley Resort and Spa and a Spice Valley Resort in Idukki.

An underwater aquarium at Arookutty in coastal Alappuzha district is also being planned, besides a Marine Leisure Island at Dharmadom in upstate Kannur and a botanical garden and forest lodge at Nelliampathy in Palakkad district.