SMiLE virtual tour guide to give fillip to Malabar tourism

Tapping into the huge potential of Malabar as a major tourist destination, the Kerala Tourism Department has brought out a high-tech digital facility that provides visitors all details about experiential and service packages offered in the region in north Kerala.

A 'SMiLE Virtual Tour Guide' links tourists with their places of attraction and providers of experiential services.

The package has got its acronym SMiLE from Small and Medium Industries Leveraging Experiential Tourism.

Conceived and executed by Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) that focuses on eco-friendly and experiential tourism, the SMiLE guide renders information on 40 Malabar attractions, ways to reach them, plan tours and fix reminder alarm notification, besides means to share portal material, find accommodation and book rooms.

The site has also helpline numbers for women and ambulance service, according to the BRDC.

BRDC is primarily into developing North Malabar and focusing on developing a beach tourist destination around northern-most Kasargod district's seaside Bekal, known for its 1650AD-built fort spread over 40 acres that makes it the biggest in the state.

Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran described the SMiLE VTG as Malabar's pioneering comprehensive package for travellers.

"It comes at a time when the state government is envisaging projects that give northern Kerala its deserving attention on the tourism map," he added.

The minister said Malabar was largely unaffected by the recent floods and landslides.

"It now becomes imperative to implement ways to boost tourism in northern Kerala," he said.

Kerala Tourism Secretary Rani George said, "The SMiLE VTG seeks to increase tourist arrivals and generate jobs in the sector. The government provided Rs 50 lakhs to the 1995-established BRDC to come up with such a tour guide under its new-age means of tourism promotion."