The tourism sector in Kerala has seen a significant growth in the first half of the year as it has attracted around 38 lakh domestic tourists during this period, state Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas has said.
The minister said the state has seen a record number of domestic tourists arrive in the first half of 2022 which has led to a growth of 72.48 per cent growth in the tourism sector.
Riyas said that Ernakulam district attracted the highest number of tourists, with Malappuram, Wayanad, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Kasaragod districts also showing record arrival of domestic travellers, a release issued by the district administration has said.
The minister was speaking at the inauguration of the Kattampally Kayaking Tourism Centre which was set up here through the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), it said.
It further said that speaking at the event, the minister said people should be included in the Tourism Department’s initiatives and that is why local tourism projects are given more consideration.
The kayaking centre is the first of its kind constructed by the state government in the district at a cost of Rs 1.79 crore and includes 30 kayaking units, like pedal boats, water taxis and inflatable rafts, the release said.
The kayaking park has been set up on water with a floating walkway, kayak store, kitchen, cafeteria and inflatable boats, it said.
In the near future, the tourism centre will be upgraded to a kayaking academy and the aim was to prepare a water tourism network which includes Pullupikadav, Munderikadav and Parassinikadavu areas of the district, the release said.
