Priority is to develop beach tourism and enhance hospitality standards, says Kerala Govt

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has affirmed its commitment to align beach tourism projects with current demands, leveraging the significant potential of this specialised sector while enhancing hospitality standards.

Speaking after opening the renovated Samudra Kovalam, the beachside resort of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) that now flaunts a whole range of world-class features on Tuesday, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas said that it is important to adopt novel ideas in the tourism sector.

"The refurbished sea-front resort will boost Kerala's standing as a fast-emerging hub of destination weddings and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism," the Minister was quoted as saying in a release here.

He said at a time when destination weddings are becoming a global trend, the state has picturesque locations for promoting this niche area, with the government making all efforts to create the best facilities for that segment.

In his presidential address, KTDC Chairman P K Sasi said in the third phase of renovation, 40 rooms had been refurbished in tune with modern aesthetic concepts.

Sasi also said that 24 more rooms of Samudra Kovalam, which is the best model for beach tourism, will be renovated in the next phase.

KTDC Managing Director Sikha Surendran welcomed the gathering.

Nestled on a sprawling coconut tree-lined site overlooking the Arabian Sea, Samudra Kovalam has long been the hallmark of Kerala's highly successful beach tourism.

The current round of renovation has added another 40 rooms, completed on a budget of Rs 12.68 crore provided by the state government, turning the property and its surroundings into an ideal locale for high-end weddings and MICE tourism, the release said.