From rxpgnews.com
Global meet to help boost Kerala tourism
By IANS,
Feb 3, 2007 - 6:29:40 PM
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 3 - An international travel conference, to be held in Kerala later this year, will boost the state's booming tourism sector.
'Since the World Travel Mart 2007 is being held here in November, the biggest beneficiary would be Kerala tourism because there would be a separate session on responsible tourism and a few success stories of Kerala in this aspect would be showcased,' Harold Goodwin, faculty at the Britain-based International Centre for Responsible Tourism, told reporters here Saturday.
Goodwin was in the city to take part in a two-day conference on 'responsible tourism'.
The conference would review the progress made since the last edition held in 2002 in Cape Town, he said.
'We will debate on how tourism can contribute to the local economy and also reflect Kerala's experience of working towards being a responsible tourism destination. Kerala has already done a lot in this regard,' said Goodwin.
Kerala Tourism Secretary V. Venu said the conference would promote the state as a destination just as tourism in Cape Town received a boost after the 2002 conference.
Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the government would integrate all the 14 district tourism promotion councils in the state.
'The village councils too would be drafted to ensure that the local population in and around a destination benefits,' said the minister.
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