Kerala government moves to strengthen tourism sector,a vital part of state's economy,contributing over 11% to GDP . Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunadh stressed private investment's importance at recent conclave by Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry (CKTI). Announced plans for development initiatives and marketing strategies to boost industry.
At event,stakeholders voiced concerns over urgent reforms and need for more government funding. E.M . Najeeb,CKTI president, urged ₹500 crore allocation in upcoming state budget to restore Kerala's global reputation and market share. He noted tourism generates about ₹48,000 crore for state, arguing 3 to 5% of this should go back into tourism development.
Najeeb said such investment could boost growth rate from current 4% to past highs of 15%. Competition in domestic,international markets is growing. To tackle this, he suggested setting up a Kerala Tourism Promotion Board,like those in other countries, to boost global marketing and draw more private investment.
Besides these proposals,M . Anjana,Tourism Director and Secretary of Cultural Affairs Department,mentioned plans to strengthen tourism through better coordination among tourism,culture, and film industries. Aim is an integrated approach to position Kerala as top travel destination…
