Kerala to Launch Wayanad-focused Tourism Promotion in Bengaluru

KOZHIKODE:
Kerala is launching a campaign in Bengaluru with focus on tourism in Wayanad as part of efforts to sustain travel and tourism in the hill district that underwent a calamity recently, Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas said today.

The Minister revealed this while addressing a meeting of tourism sector stakeholders from Wayanad, Kannur and Kozhikode convened here today. Representatives of various tourism sector organisations, entrepreneurs and service providers attended the meet.

Cinema houses in Bengaluru will display advertisements featuring Wayanad tourism, while the FM radios will feed news related to the natural beauty and hospitality facilities in Kerala’s north-eastern district bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, he told reporters here.

Recalling that a similar campaign in 2021 had benefited Wayanad tourism, the Tourism Minister noted that the scenic district has become a weekend destination for Bangaloreans. “the July 30 landslides gave the travellers a scare. We need to get over this phase,” he added.

Noting that the disaster has affected Wayanad’s tourism sector in several ways, Riyas said the consequent lull in economic activities has badly affected all stakeholders, from small traders to resort owners. “We see direct instances of the hardships. For instance, the men and women selling honey and gooseberries. Their business is terribly down,” he pointed out, highlighting the need for a revival of tourism in Wayanad. “The government is making all possible moves towards this mission.”

As for rehabilitation, the Minister said the “change has been wonderful”. The government intends to address the concerns of all people, he added. “The result will be a permanent asset to Wayanad. All suggestions are welcome. You have full support from the government.”

Another high-level meeting in Thiruvananthapuram later will take up the recommendations received and share them with the Chief Minister. “We will discuss these suggestions with other departments as well. By this December we hope to restore normalcy in Wayanad in ways that enable resumption of full-fledged tourism activities,” Riyas said.

Today’s meeting was attended by a total of around 35 representatives across the three districts. Representatives from Wayanad Tourism Organization (WTO), HATS (Homestay Kerala), Tourist Guide Association, Wayanad Eco Tourism Association, Wayanad Hotel and Restaurant Association, Wayanad Tourism Association, All Kerala Tourism Association, North Wayanad Tourism Association, Karapuzha Adventure Tourism Association and Tourism Guide Association.

Also present at the meeting were eight tourism organizations from Kozhikode district namely HATS (Homestay Kerala), Malabar Tourism Association, Malabar Tourism Council, Farm Tourism, Destination Kozhikode, Kerala Travel Mart, Hotel and Restaurant Association and Sargalaya.

Malabar Tourism Development Corporation and District Tourism Guides Association represented stakeholders from Kannur district.

Vishnu Raj P, Additional Director (General), D Gireesh Kumar, Joint Director Tourism, and Satyajit S, Deputy Director, from the Department of Tourism were also present.