Copter rides await tourists in Kerala

The weekend tourism will never be the same again for backpackers who come to Thiruvananthapuram.

The city-based travel and tourism firm Air Travel Enterprises (ATE), in association with King Rotors and Air Charter, has lined up 'Chopper Joy Rides' from Kovalam.

From Friday to Sunday, the company would provide tourists the unique opportunity to fly in a helicopter over the picturesque coastline of Thiruvananthapuram.

The King Rotor-owned helicopter would take off with tourists from Kovalam and fly over Vizhinjam, up till Poovar, another picturesque tourist destination in this part of the southern coast.

The tourists would get a chance to have an aerial view of the famous Kovalam beach, the fishing harbour of Vizhinjam and the floating hotels of the Poovar resorts at one go. Tourists on the chopper can also have an aerial view of the capital city.

Each joy ride would cost Rs 25,000 per person. The copter would carry a minimum of six persons on each trip, said ATE officials.

Talking to Business Standard, E M Najeeb, managing director, ATE, said that apart from the 10-minute joy ride from Kovalam, the company has lined up various other options in the chopper tourism initiative. Packages branded 'Capital by Air,' 'Backwaters by Air,' 'Fly the Hills' and 'Shoreline Flights' are currently being offered.

While 'Capital by Air' offers sightseeing trips around Thiruvananthapuram, 'Backwaters by Air' takes tourists around Kumarakom. The 'Fly the Hill' package takes the tourist to Thekkady, Munnar, Kochi and Kumarakom. 'Shoreline Flights' offers sightseeing to Kanyakumari along the coastline.

Besides the tourism packages, the company has also lined up helicopter charters for VVIP travel, delegates' entertainment, travel to conference destinations, travel to sites and mines, aerial surveys, geophysical surveys and election campaigning, air ambulance services and rescue missions, he said.

Captain K N G Nair, managing director, King Rotors and Air Charter, added that his company is planning to deploy more copters in this circuit.

"We also plan to expand our operations by bringing in amphibian copters," he added.