While inaugurating the first phase of this project, Tourism Minister, Kadakampally Surendran said that Kerala aims at making tourism spots accessible to every differently-abled person by 2021. Each of the tourism centres is provided with proper infrastructure and facilities like wheelchairs, special toilets, walking sticks, ramps and many more. There will also be special tour packages for the disabled-friendly tourists that are being planned in partnership with Responsible Tourism Mission, he further added. The logo of the ‘Barrier-free Kerala Tourism Project’ has been released by the minister in the presence of specially-abled persons.
P Bala Kiran, Tourism Director stressed the fact that all the tourism projects henceforth must be elderly and disabled-friendly. Despite the severe flood disaster, the state is touching new heights. The Government hopes that the ‘barrier-free’ initiative would give a major boost to Kerala’s tourism and draw domestic as well as foreign tourists.
The officials also think the policy would increase the arrival of domestic tourists by 50% and international tourists by 100%. Another key attraction is the Champions Boat League (CBL) that will be conducted in Kerala this year.