Identifying tourism as a key sector to drive the state’s future growth, Kerala government has come out with some interesting proposals for global investors to look at as part of the ‘Emerging Kerala’ Global Investors Meet commencing from September 12, 2012 in Kochi. The proposal includes tourism destination development projects in the northern districts of the state. Some of the key projects for which the Kerala Tourism Department seeks private investors' proposals during the three-day meet include a star category hotel at the upcoming EduHealth City at Panakkad and a destination boat club at Thirurangadi, both in Malappuram district;

Kerala Tourism yesterday announced that it would introduce fast-track clearance of tourism projects with investment above Rs ten crore. The new clearance system would be integrated with the existing clearance system. The system is a part of the tourism department’s new tourism policy for the year 2012-13, announced yesterday.

Kerala is building its water transport infrastructure to squeeze the most out of tourism, its fastest-growing revenue stream. Besides working on a hovercraft traffic network for its backwaters in Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Kochi — the state’s tourism backbone — it is also looking at seaplane connectivity for its main tourist destinations.

The Kerala tourism department has come forward to promote the traditional coir-making process as a tourism product. It has proposed to bring together the traditional wares and craftsmen along with their products under one roof.

In a marketing strategy to shore up dwindling receipts from global tourism, Kerala Tourism last week unfolded a range of products and packages to woo tourists from the Scandinavian region that had shown signs of relative economic comfort when other European zones reeled under crisis. Inspired by their successful marketing efforts in Australia last month, the Kerala Tourism Department conducted a series of road shows in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland last week with the support of the travel industry from Kerala.