Team Blitz India
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has ushered in the New Year with commencement of heli-tourism. Now tourists visiting the state will be able to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the scenic locations in Kerala.
The move which is slated to give a major boost to the tourism industry in the southern state was inaugurated by Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas by flagging off the first helicopter from the Kochi international airport recently.
“Aimed at promoting premium tourism in the state, the project is being implemented with private participation. Kochi will be the main hub of helitourism. In the initial phase, the project will cover 10 major destinations, including Munnar, Kumarakom, Bekal, Alappuzha, Jatayu Earth Centre and Thiruvananthapuram. Heli-rides, destination-to-destination rides and helitourism packages will be on offer,” the Kerala minister said on the occasion.
Besides tourism, these helicopters can be used for medical purposes for patient transportation. “During disasters, we had to depend on the Army’s choppers for relief activities. These helicopters will come in handy during such emergencies. This is going to be a major asset for the state, he added.
“Many stakeholders from Kerala and other states are ready to invest in the project.
Many participants in the Tourism Investors Meet 2023 held recently in Thiruvananthapuram too had expressed interest, and hence, we decided to launch it immediately,” an official told media on the occasion. To facilitate the implementation of the project, Kerala Tourism has launched a micro-site on the official website of the department to introduce and promote heli-tourism.
