By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : With a drive-in beach, historical fort, two luxury hotels and road shows in India and abroad to promote tourism, Kerala is gearing up to welcome tourists like never before.
Bakel Fort in Kasargode district, a drive-in beach at Tellicherry and more tourism spots at Wayanad district are all being give facelifts to attract tourists, Kerala Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters here Thursday.
“Two luxury hotels in Bakel would be ready in a year and the state government is readying all the basic infrastructure so that visitors can enjoy the beautiful Bakel Fort,” said Balakrishnan.
All the tourist spots being promoted are in north Kerala.
The drive-in beach at Muzhapilangad near Tellicherry would be a star attraction because it is being billed as the longest drive-in beach in the country.
“Wayanad is already home to weekend tourists from Mysore and Bangalore but the biggest problem there is the shortage of rooms. Currently there are large numbers of home stays. We have already submitted a proposal to the central government to see that more funds are pumped into Wayanad,” added the minister.
Kerala Tourism secretary V. Venu said the government is undertaking road shows to promote the state both in India and abroad.
“We have already conducted 10 (road shows) in India and next month we will be in Milan and Paris with our road shows,” said Venu.
The biggest problem facing the tourism sector is the shortage of rooms. While the demand for rooms is in excess of 20,000, the supply is just about half that number.
“To meet the demand for additional rooms, there are several hotel projects on at various stages,” said the minister.