Kerala to form tourism circuit with Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Tourism will visit Kerala shortly for further deliberations

The Kerala Tourism department has decided to form a new tourism circuit with the neighbouring Sri Lanka.

A high-level delegation from Sri Lankan Tourism would visit Kerala soon for further deliberations for the identified tourism destinations and to finalise the cooperation.

Kerala tourism minister AP Anilkumar said the island nation had expressed interest in starting a cruise ship service between Kochi and Colombo.

A Colombo-based operator had expressed interest to partner with private players in Kerala to start sea plane services in the state, said the tourism department.

Kumar said Sri Lanka Minister of Tourism and Sports,  Navin Dissanayak, had applauded Kerala's growth in tourism and expressed interest in joining hands with the state for developing tourism circuits and joint promotions.

A Kerala team lead by a minister, tourism secretary G Kamala Vardhana Rao and other officials had been to Sri Lanka on a two-day visit to hold discussions with the country's officials on the partnership. Kerala also has plans to form a regional tourism circuit along with the other island nation Maldives.

Both Kerala and Sri Lanka would take up joint promotional activities to draw tourists from China, Germany and Russia.

Dissanayak had agreed to take up the issue of special fares on Sri Lankan Airlines operating between Kerala and Colombo, according to the tourism department.

Another area, identified for joint cooperation is human resource (HR) development and skill training in the tourism sector.