Kerala all set to welcome tourists: KTDC chairman M Vijayakumar

Despite the State’s tourism corporation falling deep in terms of growth after March owing to the pandemic, the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) has not laid off even one employee and all staff got their salaries t+hroughout these months.

Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the State Government is still considering the possibilities of relaxing the COVID quarantine norms for the tourists visiting Kerala from other States in India and parts of the World, tourism centres have opened up in Kerala, said M Vijayakumar, Chairman, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC).

Speaking to ETV Bharat, in an exclusive interview, Vijayakumar said, it is not practical for those entering the State as tourists to serve the COVID quarantine for 7 days or 14 days. KTDC is taking on a new approach in this situation by making it ‘tourism, in times of COVID’.

Except for the coastal tourism centres and beach sides, all other tourist centres across the State are already open.

"We have started allowing visitors while also complying with the pandemic regulations. Tourists’ entry to the hill stations is being permitted. However, not all the hotels are open at the hill stations yet," he said.

All hotels would open up in a phased manner, he added. All KTDC hotels across Kerala, except those in the hill stations, have already become operational. The KTDC Four Star Hotel which is under construction at Kanyakumari will also be operational within six months.

Despite the State’s tourism corporation falling deep in terms of growth after March owing to the pandemic, the KTDC has not laid off even one employee. All staff with the KTDC have got their salaries throughout these months.

KTDC Chairman welcomed all tourists to Kerala to experience safe tourism amid the pandemic.