The campaign, 'Know Bekal', organised jointly by the tourism department and Bekal Resorts Development Corporation Ltd (BRDC), is aimed at enhancing the inflow of national and international tourists to the place, Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar told a press meet here today.
To improve accessibility to Bekal, an airstrip is being planned there at an investment of Rs 100 crore, he said.
"A lot of developments are coming up in Bekal. The core aim of the campaign is to showcase the rapid transformation in and around the town, including construction of luxury resorts and improvements in transport infrastructure," Kumar said.
"Our target is to nearly double annual tourist inflow to Bekal from the current 3.2 lakh to six lakh by 2015," he added.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would inaugurate the campaign on May 10, the minister said.
The campaign includes a series of programmes such as tour for travel professionals, road shows, open theatres, light and sound shows, setting up of information kiosks at major destinations and representing Bekal tourism in global trade fairs.
BRDC, the authority tasked with implementation of Bekal Tourism Project, is planning to develop six five-star luxury resorts in the town by the end of 2012.
"Besides the Fort, we are also keen to promote other attractions of Bekal like its backwaters, rich cultural heritage and options of water and aero sports," BRDC Management Director I C Mahesh said.
Built in 1640 as a defence post, the sea-facing Bekal Fort is the centre of attraction of the coastal town. It is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). PTI LGK JRK APR
EKA
