Govt announces ₹140-cr mega project for beach development.

Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran has announced a ₹140-crore mega tourism project to develop Kozhikode beach into one of the attractive sightseeing destinations in the State.

Opening a seminar on 'Kozhikode’s tourism prospects', hosted by the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) here on Sunday, the Minister said the coastline of the city would be divided into four sectors with focus on themes such as society, culture, sports, and youth, and that each sector would reflect the respective theme to attract tourists.

“We hope to mobilise Central aid for the initiative. However, absence of help from the Centre will never be a reason to drop the project, as the State government can find other feasible means to realise it,” said Mr. Surendran.

He asserted that the development of the coastal community too would be a priority along with improvement of tourism amenities.

The Minister observed that the Malabar region had failed to tap its tourism potential in a big way, and that it could not exploit the opportunities in exploring its historical, cultural, and environmental attractions for tourism promotion. “Not even one per cent of foreign tourists visit the Malabar region owing to poor promotional programmes,” he said.

On the yet-to-be tapped tourism potential of the ecotourism centres in the district, Mr. Surendran said rural tourism destinations such as Kakkayam and Thusharagiri would fetch big openings for the district provided they are given proper attention. The government will support all local tourism ventures, including homestay projects, as they contribute in a big way to development initiatives, he pointed out.

A. Pradeepkumar, MLA, presided over the function, which was attended by tourism experts, historians, and people’s representatives. District Collector U.V. Jose welcomed the gathering.

THE HINDU