Noting that youngsters have become the brand ambassadors of Kerala Tourism, State Tourism Minister Mr. P. A. Mohamed Riyas said the campus tourism clubs set up to promote youth participation in the tourism sector have a significant role in creating the best tourism culture in Kerala to tap the global potential of this vital sector. Launching the website of Tourism Club, www.tourismclubkerala.org here, the Minister said this unique initiative will also help foster the professional skills of the youth for lapping up job opportunities generated by the tourism sector.
Mr.Riyas said the ‘Kerala Story’ of warm hospitality, harmony, and secular mindset are vital factors in attracting tourists to Kerala and marking the state firmly on the world tourism map.
He said the tourism clubs have ensured the active participation of students in this sector with their skills and professional potential, giving an impetus to the development of tourism across the state.
As the upkeep of tourism centers is a vital issue, Tourism Clubs have been given an assignment at Akkulam Tourist Village on an experimental basis.
The Minister lauded Tourism Club members for giving a facelift to the popular tourist center through activities like sprucing up the walls with beautiful paintings, repairing lamps, and doing necessary electrification.
Mr.Riyas gave away prizes to the winners of the Tourism Clubs Reels Contest, conducted by Kerala Tourism as part of World Tourism Day celebrations, on the occasion. Mr. Aslin N (Kozhikode) andMr. Vaisakh AL (Thiruvananthapuram) received the first and second prizes respectively.
Tourism Director Mr. P B Nooh, IAS in his welcome address, said unlike other forums, Tourism Clubs will help students find a career in the future and develop their innate skills.
Around 382 colleges in the state have been given approval for setting up Tourism Clubs. Of them, 48 are engineering colleges, seven law colleges, 265 arts, and science colleges, 17 polytechnics, 5 private ITIs, 6 Teachers’ Training Institutes, nine university campuses, and 25 other institutions. Mr.Nooh said
Among the institutions, 19 of them are autonomous, government (62), government-aided (127), and unaided institutions (174), he added. Mr. Prem Krishnan S Additional Director of Kerala Tourism proposed the vote of thanks.
The objective of the Tourism Club is to harness youth power for the upkeep of tourism centers and encourage them to come up with ideas and themes for the development of tourism in the state. The initiative offers opportunities for students to work as part-time tourist guides too.
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