Editors Note World View Asia-Pacific Scene Indian Panorama Kerala Traveller Aviation Face to Face 10 Questions Woman of the Month Hospitality Columns Bookshelf Variety Quiz Back Issues asian traveller :: home :: Kerala Traveller K erala Traveller Artificial Reef at Kovalam Commissioned A multi purpose artificial submerged reef has been commissioned recently at Kovalam, the famous beach destination in Kerala, recently. The reef, installed between the Light House and the Edakkal rocks off the Light House beach, will protect the severely eroding coast besides making the resort a round-the-year surfing destination.The project, funded under the Centre’s tsunami rehabilitation programme, was executed by the New-Zealand-based Artificial Surfing Reef Ltd. The Harbour Engineering Department has set up the reef for Kerala Tourism. ... read story Cochin to Gangtok Rickshaw Rally Draws Adventure Tourists Under a cacophony of sound, colour and excitement, 70 teams from 20 countries were flagged off from Fort Cochin recently driving three-wheeled auto-rickshaws on the 4000 kilometre Cochin to Gangtok Rickshaw Rally. With each team comprising anything from 1 to 4 members, the event drew 170 amateur adventurists from around the world to participate in the charity rally.The teams have no set route, no professional drivers, no back up or support of any kind and will face some of the toughest driving conditions in the world. Organised by the UK based company, The Adventurists, the Rickshaw Run is an extreme fortnight of mud, sweat, mountains, jungles and possibly the most difficult roads in the world. The participants range in age from 18 – 66 years and c... read story Kerala to Prepare Special Tourism Packages for CWG Kerala to Prepare Special Tourism Packages for CWGCommonwealth Games (CWG) 2010 Organising Committee has asked the Kerala Government to prepare special tourism packages to attract tourists who visit the capital city for the Games. According to a news agency report, Jij... read story Kerala Tourism Conducts Road Shows in UK Kerala Tourism has conducted Roadshows in London and for the first time other major cities including Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow. Feedback from British wholesalers indicated that despite the current economic climate a healthy level of consumer interest and enquiries for long-haul destinations, including Kerala was still there. The roadshows which were conducted from March 15 to18, provided 22 trade partners from Kerala with a platform to motivate and educate 270 wholesale industry partners, retail travel trade and independent travel counselors from the four cities. Director of Kerala Tourism, M Sivasankar, who headed the delegation, said the roadshows were organised so as to sustain and boost the growing interest among British tourists. He added that app... read story Kerala Tourism, Google Tie up Kerala Tourism has tied up with Google to promote tourism through search and banner advertisements on the search engine. This is the first time a state tourism department is partnering with the global search engine for such an advertisement campaign. A four-member high-level team from Google, led by its Business Head, Narasimha Jayakumar was in Kerala recently. They met stakeholders in the tourism industry and conducted workshops for them in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.According to Kerala Tourism website Mr. Narasimha Jayakumar, Business Head of Google India has said that the three-month campaign for Kerala Tourism that started in the middle of November received tremendous response. “It is now possible for somebody sitting in Britain, the U.S.A., Canada ... read story Kerala Tourism to Have Awards Day from Next Year From next year onwards, September 27, international tourism day, will also be the ‘Tourism Awards Day’ in Kerala. Starting from next year the state tourism awards will be distributed on September 27, said Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala. The awards function would be a bigger and grandeur event. He was speaking at a function organized in Kochi to give away the state tourism awards for the year 2007-2008. From next year there would be awards for responsible tourism practices, destination management and tourism friendly village, he added. The minister who presided over the function also said that Kerala has recorded a 17 per cent growth in tourist arrivals during the last season, as compared to the year before. Union M... read story Kerala Tourism brands Rajdhani Express In one of the biggest campaigns of its kind “Chalo Kerala”, Kerala Tourism has decided to use the Hazrat Nizamuddin-Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express to showcase the many attractions the state has to offer to tourists from across India.The exteriors the 17 coaches of the train which connects Kerala and India’s capital will carry images of Kerala’s main tourism attractions like backwaters, houseboats, beaches, wildlife and art forms creating a spectacular imagery on a ‘moving canvas’. The south – bound Rajadhani trains have been taken inorder to reach out to the affluent families and business travellers. The wrapping on the trains will have about 750 metres of vinyl graphics about Kerala, using the latest digital print... read story Tourism Sector Holds Promise for the Future A two-day All India Convention of Hotels and Restaurants has been organized in Thiruvananthapuram, capital city of Kerala on December 7th and 8th. South India Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA) organized the event. South Kerala Hotelier's Forum played host to the event.  Indian Tourism: Past Learning and Future Earning was the theme of the event.  There were panel discussions on subjects including 'India- A Mice Destination', 'New Generation Marketing', 'Business Opportunities in Kerala', 'Medical Tourism-Emerging Trends'and 'Management - Operational Aspects of Restaurants'. Eminent persons from the industry took part in these sessions. It is the tourism sector along with IT, which hold promise for the future of the State said K... read story MV Aquamarine Opens Up High Seas Luxury Cruising for Indian Tourists Indian travellers will soon get to enjoy the joys of international class cruising on the Indian Ocean onboard MV Aquamarine, the first international cruise ship to homeport in India. The luxury liner was officially launched at a ceremony to celebrate its inaugural sailing, by Union Minister for Tourism, Kumari Selja in Kochi recently. MV Aquamarine is the first cruise liner to offer cruises targeted at the Indian tourism market. In her speech, the Minister said that there was tremendous scope for cruise tourism in the country, given India’s strong domestic tourism sector and growing middle class and of course, the country’s 7,517 kilometre long coastline. Director of Kerala Tourism, M Sivasankar IAS stated that exotic voyages from Kochi... read story KTM 2010 From September 23 The next Kerala Travel Mart will be held from September 23, 2010 at Kochi. Arrangements for the smooth conduct of the Mart have already on with the election of the Managing Committee members for the period 2009-11. Riaz Ahmed, Managing Director, Abad Group of Hotels is the new President of KTM Society. He took over from EM Najeeb, Chairman, ATE Group. Riaz Ahmed, the newly elected President of KTM told Asian Traveller that his prime concern at the moment is, “organising the Kerala Travel Mart in September 2010”. This time KTM will pay more attention showcasing new properties in the state. “We want to give the new players a platform to showcase their product and thus ensure a bigger participation.” According to him while the focus of KTM ... read story Move to Take Over Golf Club Flayed Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry (CKTI) has demanded the government should withdraw its decision to acquire the Trivandrum Golf club. The Club, which is more than 150 years old only the second Golf Club to be established outside England has heritage as well as tourism value, said CKTI President E M Najeeb and Secretary M R Narayanan in a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram. More over the club is functioning as per the rules and regulations put forward by the Government, they added. The Trivandrum Management Association (TMA) has also come out against the State Government’s order to the Trivandrum Golf Club authorities to vacate the Club premises.“The government’s present demand to vacate the Golf Club amidst the move to acqui... read story GKSF Gets Off to a Colourful Start Grand Kerala Shopping Festival, the 45-day long Kerala shopping extravaganza has been formally inaugurated at a glittering function held in Kannur.   The opening ceremony held at Jawahar Stadium was marked by the large crowds and a mega cultural show. The inaugural function was also attended by Ministers, people's representatives, officials and representatives of sponsoring agencies.  T.M. Thomas Isaac, Kerala Finance Minister, who inaugurated the Shopping Fest said that the main objective of the 45-day long festival was to make Kerala an international shopping destination. The GKSF was one of the major steps of the State government to strengthen the commercial sectors in the State. “The government plans to extend the shopping ... read story ATTOI Members Meet in Kuala Lumpur ATTOI Members Meet in Kuala LumpurAssociation of Tourism Trade Organisations India (ATTOI) has organized a three-day meet in the last week of December in Kuala Lumpur. This initiative was two fold ; one to attend a B2B meet with tour operators and hoteliers of Malaysia to develop new ties and two to develop markets for taking Keralites to Malaysia and  to bring Malaysians to India. The entire show was organised by Association of Tourism Trade Organisations India. Kerala Tourism has supported this initiative whole heartedly as this was one of the first in taking brand Kerala and its efforts to the next level. A sizable Malaysian population consists of second and third generation of Indians makes it a very lucrative market as many want to c... read story Kerala Tourism, KTDC Revamps Websites Kerala Tourism and KTDC have upgraded their websites with new features to help market their products more effectively. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister for Tourism launched both the website features in two different functions held recently in Thiruvanathapuram. Login.kerala, the facet installed in www.keralatourism.org provides many facilities including direct online booking of hotel rooms. The major add-ons to the KTDC website include online reservations as well as the 'Feel the Property,' an innovative feature which gives 360° views of different part of the hotel, surroundings and its amenities. ... read story Kerala Tourism Wins PATA Gold, CNBC Travel Awards > Kerala Tourism is the proud recipient of the 2009 PATA Gold Award in the Marketing - State/City Destination category. Kerala's entry 'Dream Season in God's Own Country' was judged 'best in class' from amongst 236 entries worldwide. 'Dream Season in God's Country' was targeted at the growing Indian market. The campaign objective was to convert the traditional off season in Kerala into a season of opportunity for domestic travelers. It positioned the State as an affordable and inviting destination, making God's Own Country an all-season's destination.  ... read story Kerala Tourism to Organise Partnership Meets Kerala tourism department will organise 'partnership meets' in a number of European countries and various Indian cities to attract tourists to the state. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister for Home and Tourism, Kerala in a written reply in the assembly said that the meets would b... read story Monsoon Carnival in Wayanad Wayanad Tourism Organisation (WTO), a body of stake holders in the tourism sector of Wayanad, Kerala about to launch 'Splash- 2009', a unique monsoon festival for promoting rain tourism in a big way in Wayanad district. The event is scheduled from 3rd to 11th July 2009, featuring wide range of traditional and folk art forms. A large number of delegates  from  the  tourism  industry  from  both  private  and  public  sector including suppliers, writers, media, other industry professionals and other high profile personalities as well as guests from 30 prime resorts and hotels of Wayanad are expected to attend the 9-day carnival. The carnival aims at bringing the attention of the global tourism in to the monsoon r... read story Investor Meets to Have a Permanent Web Based Platform An exclusive web based platform to help guide investors who are keen on investing in Kerala's growing tourism sector has been created by Tourism Resorts Kerala Limited (TRKL). TRKL is a Government of Kerala undertaking which works towards attracting tourism investments to the State. The site, www.trkl.in, will feature details of potential tourism destinations as well as project reports of feasible investment proposals.The website will function as a permanent public forum for the innovative business model envisaged by TRKL that will promote joint ventures between NRK investors and entrepreneurs in Kerala. Through this site, Malayali investors abroad will get opportunity to interact with entrepreneurs in Kerala and build up ... read story KTDC Hotels and Resorts Targets Global Customers The KTDC Hotels and Resorts, formerly known as the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) is all set to unleash its network of 30 properties, including premium destination properties by the end of June to travellers worldwide. As part of the marketing plans, the official website of KTDC Hotels and Resorts would soon carry details of all the 30 properties under it. The website would help potential travelers to find properties of their choice based on criteria like budget, destination and facilities. ... read story Bekal Becoming an International Travel Destination The encouraging signs of developmental activities at Bekal, one of Kerala's well-known beach destinations are sure indications of it becoming a destination of international repute in the near future. Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) is spearheading the developmental works here at Bekal. Two resorts, out of the six, would get commissioned by September and December this year. They are the ones that belong to 'The Lalit' (Bharat Hotels) and 'The Taj' (Khanna Group). Construction works are going on in full swing at the remaining four plots meant for the UAE-based Holiday Group, Globlink Hotels and Entertainment, Green Gateway Leisure Ltd and cghearth. Bekal, with its shallow beach is also backed by an equally attractive network of backwaters. For tho... read story Mobile Phone to Become A Key Publicity Tool Along with the popular radio and television mediums, Kerala Tourism has resorted to the emerging popular medium of mobile phones to invite the attention of domestic tourists to Kerala. A two-phase mobile strategy will soon be launched by Kerala Tourism. Phase I will commence with the onset of the monsoon, and the period will witness a three-month 'Discover Unseen Kerala' contest on GPRS-enabled mobile phones. The contest requires users to identify unseen locations featured on the 'mobsite' and also answer questions about Kerala. And the winners of the contest will get a fully paid trip to some of the outstanding destinations in Kerala. The database of mobile users collected during phase I will be the capital of phase II. During this phase, the members of the... read story The Sounds of Kerala to Hit Radio Waves in Key Metros Never shy to try a new or innovative idea, Kerala Tourism, has associated with Radio Mirchi to promote the state to listeners in New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Bangalore. Four radio jockeys will travel to Kerala for a week and experience the exotic locales of God's Own Country. They will broadcast their experiences to listeners in their respective cities, live from Kerala three times a day.Tourism Director, Sivasankar, flagged off the State's latest destination marketing programme  recently at a function held at Kanakakunnu Palace.Listeners will be taken on a tour by their radio jockey who will visit the beaches, backwaters and hill stations of Kerala. They will convey the beauty of the place, the vibrancy of Kerala culture and the exquisite t... read story MIR- Taking Liesure to New Dimensions tr> MIR Hotels & Resorts is the hospitality vertical of the South India based, INR 150 crore business house 'MIR Group' that has proven expertise in diversified sectors including tourism, real estate, consultancy, international trade, biotechnology, infrastructure and education. MIR Hotels & Resorts manages a chain of resorts, budget hotels and service apartments under the brand and is in the process of acquiring and constructing resorts at potential destinations across India. The company presently operates three properties -including two prime resorts: Kayaloram Heritage Lake Resort at Alleppey and Krishnatheeram Ayur Holy Beach Resort at Varkala and and Park Central in Kochi. Kayaloram is a 12-room premium heritage backwater resort while K... read story Dentistry in the Time of Crisis > Have you ever heard the phrase "dental tourism?" To most people this combination of words doesn't sound too pleasing because the following question comes immediately to our minds: what do tourism and vacations have to do with cosmetic dentistry? The fact that they might not be obviously related doesn't mean that there is no connection between each other.Dental care in Europe and America is notoriously expensive. With the economic crisis wreaking havoc in the pockets of workers in the Dr. Madha... read story The Leela Kovalam Wins Pevonia Asia Spa Award The Divya Spa at The Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach was recently awarded the prestigious Pevonia Asia Spa Award for the Best Ayurvedic Spa (Hotel), 2008. Divya Spa features Ayurveda, an age old Indian science of life in contemporary settings which offers ancient remedies to today's needs. Instituted in 2005, the Pevonia Asia Spa Awards recognises exceptional and sensational spas in Asia. The signature treatments of the spa include Udvarthanam, Shiodhara, Elakkizhi and Navarakkizhi. A team of sixteen highly trained therapists and dedicated Ayurvedic doctors work towards offering a retreat to every guest who seeks solace from the rigorous complexities of their daily lives."This recognition is a very special honour which I will always cherish. I believe that... read story Leela Kovalam Introduces More Asian Cuisines The Leela Kempinski Kovalam Beach resort becomes the first resort in Kerala having a restaurant the four Asian cuisines under a single roof. The Tides is also the first restaurant to have the combination of Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese and Malay Cuisine in south India. All ingredients are imported mainly from Singapore and Bangkok for keeping the culinary experience authentic."With the domestic season drawing to its peak the demand for Asian Cuisines is soaring and these new additions really add to effervescence of Leela Kovalam" says Vijayan Parakkal, Executive Chef. ... read story Kerala Tourism Steps into New Markets In Sweden And Russia Kerala's beaches, backwaters and houseboats are key attractions that are being promoted in new markets prone to catch the God's Own Country' travel bug.Kerala Tourism made its inaugural entry at the Moscow International Travel and Tourism (MITT) exhibition which took place on 18-21 March 2009 at the Russian capital. Kerala Tourism Secretary, Dr Venu V said Russia is a market that has strong potential for growth and MITT was an important event for reaching new clients in this market. "We need to have an active presence in markets that are showing strong potential. The global tourism sector is extremely competitive and MITT provides another platform to talk to a new market."We know that 2009 is going to be a tough year for our sector, so we ... read story Trade Fair Authority for GKSF Owing to the grand success of the 2008 edition of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF), the Minister for Tourism, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has announced the formation of Trade Fair Authority for the annual conduct of GKSF. The 2009 edition of GKSF will be conducted by this authority.  According to the minister, GKSF proved that such an exercise can be successfully conducted with the support of various government departments as well as the business and trade community in the state. In the backdrop of Kerala now placed as a well-known travel destination in the world, the platform is well set for making it into a destination for shopping. And by including small-scale traders, the shopping festival now has attained more mass appeal, the minister said. Recalling ... read story KTDC Launches City Tour in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala Tourism Development Corporation has launched 'City Tour' (Nagara Darshan), which will give the visitors to the city a KTDC Chairman Cherian Philip flags off the City Tour (Nagara Darshan), organised by KTDC. Also present is K.G. Mohanlal, Director, KTDC comprehensive view of Thiruvananthapuram city. The visitor will be taken in an air-conditioned vehicle to a number of tourist attractions in the city including temples, beaches, backwaters and palaces... read story NRKs to Partner in Tourism Growth of Kerala The two-day event 'Ente Nadu' held in Kochi was an earnest effort by Kerala Tourism to join hands with the sizeable number of non-resident Keralites for giving a new direction and added growth to the tourism sector. The two-day meet held in Kochi had about 200 odd projects that came up for consideration, of which 60 were identified worth to pursuing, paving way for a total investment to the tune of Rs.10000 million in the tourism sector of Kerala. The Minister for Tourism, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in his inaugural address urged the non-resident Keralites to take an active role in the growth and development of tourism in Kerala. Dr. Venu, V. IAS, Secretary Kerala Tourism, said that campaigns would be launched in the international level and also in other states of... read story Single Window System Mooted for Tourism Projects To ensure the speedy implementation of various tourism related projects, Kerala Tourism will put into place a single window system with the Tourism Director as the nodal officer. This was one of the major announcements made at 'Ente Naadu' - the meeting of Non Resident Keralites recently held in Kochi. The Minister said that many investors had approached the state with big projects for the tourism sector. A high-level committee headed by the Chief Minister will look into the issues. To sort out certain roadblocks, a committee headed by Chief Secretary has also been appointed. The committee will also evaluate the progress of various tourism related projects every three months. "The government will provide support to the plans of NRKs to float a company to impleme... read story Kerala Plans Visit Kerala Year 2009 As part of its plans to attract visitors, especially from other states in India, Kerala Tourism plans a year-long umbrella package called 'Visit Kerala Year 2009' from January 2009. This was disclosed by Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister for Tourism, Kerala while addressing the meeting of Non-Resident Keralities (NRK) 'Ente Naadu' in Kochi. The'Visit Kerala Year 2009' will be focused on tier-II cities. Stressing on the need to adopt new marketing techniques to overcome the impact of the meltdown and Mumbai attacks, KTDC will prepare brochures and CDs in local languages of countries from where many visitors come to the state. In other states also, brochures and CDs will be prepared and distributed. KTDC will also participate in trade fairs held in different state... read story GKSF Exceeds Expectations Grand Kerala Shopping Festival 2009, the second edition of event highlighting the destination's shopping potential has been a success story and has bettered its first year records. The attractive discounts, gifts and the bumper prizes has pulled the crowds to the shops bearing the GKSF tags and more than 15 lakh prize coupons were issued compared to 8.6 lakh last year. About 2,300 shops, restaurants and other business establishments took part in the event. The south zone comprising of the southern districts topped the sales followed by the north and central zone. Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city marked the highest numbers in sales follwed by Kollam and Alappuzha collectively distributing of 4.5 lakh coupons by the end of the fourth week. "We have... read story Kerala Tourism Launches ORS !/tr> A timely one and a new-year gift, the Online Reservation System (ORS) recently introduced by Kerala Tourism is expected to find a large user base, especially single property owners in the hospitality sector of Kerala. Once again, the facility has been the outcome of Kerala Tourism's successful ongoing partnership with the private sector. ORS would benefit hoteliers with a small inventory and with limited IT support. Hotels, Grihastalies, houseboats, homestays and the like would find ORS an effective online resource, which in turn would bolster their business. According to  M. Sivasankar, Director, Kerala Tourism, the new facility would reduce operational costs, increase the visibility of properties and their availability and would mi... read story C urrent Issue O ther Stories Artificial Reef at Kovalam Commissioned Cochin to Gangtok Rickshaw Rally Draws Adventure Tourists Kerala to Prepare Special Tourism Packages for CWG Kerala Tourism Conducts Road Shows in UK Kerala Tourism, Google Tie up Kerala Tourism to Have Awards Day from Next Year Kerala Tourism brands Rajdhani Express Tourism Sector Holds Promise for the Future MV Aquamarine Opens Up High Seas Luxury Cruising for Indian Tourists KTM 2010 From September 23 Move to Take Over Golf Club Flayed GKSF Gets Off to a Colourful Start ATTOI Members Meet in Kuala Lumpur Kerala Tourism, KTDC Revamps Websites Kerala Tourism Wins PATA Gold, CNBC Travel Awards Kerala Tourism to Organise Partnership Meets Monsoon Carnival in Wayanad Investor Meets to Have a Permanent Web Based Platform KTDC Hotels and Resorts Targets Global Customers Bekal Becoming an International Travel Destination Mobile Phone to Become A Key Publicity Tool The Sounds of Kerala to Hit Radio Waves in Key Metros MIR- Taking Liesure to New Dimensions Dentistry in the Time of Crisis The Leela Kovalam Wins Pevonia Asia Spa Award Leela Kovalam Introduces More Asian Cuisines Kerala Tourism Steps into New Markets In Sweden And Russia Trade Fair Authority for GKSF KTDC Launches City Tour in Thiruvananthapuram NRKs to Partner in Tourism Growth of Kerala Single Window System Mooted for Tourism Projects Kerala Plans Visit Kerala Year 2009 GKSF Exceeds Expectations Kerala Tourism Launches ORS To place your advertisements in this space please contact Marketing, Mediastepsindia home | about us | advertise with us | subscribe | contact us | team support : colorvibes The news items and Advertisements published herein have been collected from various source, which are considered to be reliable. 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