(TAN): After months of doldrums following the coronavirus pandemic, the panoramic beaches of the south Indian state of Kerala are all set to reopen on November 1, said media reports.
As part of the unlock process, the tourism centres in the state were opened in two phases. In the first phase the hill stations, adventure resorts and backwater tourism centres including houseboats were reopened on October 12.
In the second phase, the beach tourism destinations will reopen on Kerala Day (Kerala Piravi Day), said the state’s tourism department. Kerala’s pristine beaches such as Kovalam, Varkala, or Bekal — are some of the most popular destinations for global tourists.
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This phase of reopening is also accompanied by the launch of 26 new tourism projects by the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. In his address Vijayan had said that the pandemic caused the tourism sector of the state to lose huge revenue and the Government has launched the projects to revive the battered sector.
The new projects are spread across almost all the districts in Kerala, from the popular hill station tourist centre Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram way up to the northernmost districts.
“The decision to reopen beaches after hill station is a welcome move by the state government. It will give a renewed energy and boost to the beach properties like hotels and resorts there,” E M Najeeb, senior vice president, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) told PTI.
