Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that Kerala’s tourism sector has successfully overcome the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking at the inauguration of Gateway Bekal Premier Five Star Resort in Malankunuma of Uduma Panchayat, he highlighted the achievements of the state in the field of tourism through government led initiatives such as tourism fund package, tourism employment support scheme, tourism houseboat service scheme.
The Chief Minister said that the project has given good results. In the first half of 2024, Kerala welcomed 1.5 crore domestic tourists, a 20% increase over previous years. He also said that ongoing projects like responsible tourism, biodiversity initiatives, North Malabar tourism circuit, pilgrimage tourism, and heritage tourism are also attracting significant attention.
The number of tourists coming to Bekal from 50,000 annually has exceeded 5 lakh. It is expected that the newly inaugurated five-star resort, built on 32 acres of land with an investment of 150 crores, will further enhance the attractiveness of this area.
Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Rias, who presided over the inauguration of the resort, said that the development of North Malabar will play a significant role in the tourism development of Kerala. He said that the completion of National Highway 66 by December 2025 and the mountain road connecting 13 districts will improve connectivity, remove travel barriers and increase tourism potential.
He said that Bekal will be the first region in the country to operate three five-star hotels in one panchayat.
published – December 16, 2024 at 01:23 pm IST