Overview
- Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal announced a 20% increase to the tourism department budget at a state seminar in Kuttikkanam and cited domestic tourism contributions of over ₹5,000 crore and about 12% of state GDP.
- He said startup-model financial assistance for hotel projects with investments up to ₹50 crore has reached its final stage.
- Tourism Minister P. A. Mohammed Riyas presented the draft Vision 2031, which targets a year-round, high-value global destination across segments such as health, pilgrimage, cruise, MICE, destination weddings and heli-tourism.
- The draft prioritises last-mile connectivity with better roads, airports and airstrips, along with upgrades to ports and waterways to support key destinations.
- Planned measures include AI-informed visitor management to ease overcrowding in hill stations, a carbon-neutral focus to protect biodiversity, and people-centred tourism that broadens local income with greater participation by women.