By IANS
Kozhikode (Kerala) : Kerala will form a Trade Fair Authority of its own to conduct shopping festivals in the state, Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said Monday at the formal inauguration of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF) here.
The minister said the government would allocate more funds for the shopping festival, which would be a regular event for the next five years, in an effort to make Kerala an important shopping destination in the world.
This year the government had allocated Rs.150 million for the conduct of the GKSF. Modelled on the lines of the Dubai Shopping Festival, it aims to attract foreign and domestic shoppers to the state.
“The government will work to link each production sector in the state with the festival and will strive to make trading centres conform to the needs of the festival,” the minister said.
State Minister of Home and Tourism Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the GKSF would be a good opportunity for the trading community to market products, especially the traditional items.
He said the GKSF was scheduled for December-January as this season brings the largest number of tourists to the state.
The 46-day festival that will conclude Jan 15 offers a total of Rs.100 million worth of gifts to the shoppers.