TARUN KUMAR
Thiruvananthapuram: Prasad Manjali, Secretary General, South Kerala Hoteliers Forum (SKHF), welcomed the government’s emphasis on pilgrimage and heritage tourism and termed it a positive step for the hospitality industry.
“The proposal to develop major pilgrimage centres such as Sabarimala, Guruvayur, Kottiyoor, and Thiruvallam on the lines of the Tirupati model is a welcome move. Pilgrimage tourism has immense potential to generate year-round visitor traffic and support the hospitality sector across Kerala. At the same time, the development and promotion of the world-renowned Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple should also be considered as part of the state’s long-term pilgrimage tourism strategy. Such initiatives will further strengthen Thiruvananthapuram’s position as a major spiritual, cultural, and heritage tourism destination,” he said.
Siji Nair, CEO, Global Travel Market (GTM), welcomed the tourism-related announcements in the budget and observed that several commitments made by the Tourism Minister during the inaugural session of GTM 2026 have been reflected in the revised budget proposals.
“It is encouraging to see that many of the assurances announced by the Tourism Minister at the inaugural function of GTM 2026 have found a place in the budget. The focus on tourism infrastructure, maritime tourism, startup incubation, sustainable mobility, and heritage conservation demonstrates the government’s commitment towards strengthening Kerala’s tourism sector” he said. “However, Kerala needs to compete aggressively with other domestic and international destinations, and therefore higher allocations for domestic and international tourism marketing campaigns are essential to increase tourist arrivals and strengthen Kerala’s destination brand,” he added.
