KTDC announces more initiatives to boost Kerala tourism

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KERALA, (Internet) The innovative tourism initiatives would coincide with the Onam festive season in Kerala, Director, Kerala Tourism and Development Corporation (KTDC) M Sivasankar, said Friday which will falls on 12 September.brThe state has registered a remarkable increase in domestic and international tourist arrivals during 2007. brWhile international arrivals recorded a significant 20.37 per cent increase over the previous figures, the domestic tourist arrivals grew by only 5.92 per cent. Foreign exchange earnings for the year 2007 was Rs265 million, a record growth of 32.82 per cent over the previous year, while the total revenue from tourism was Rs1143 billion - an increase of 25.28 per cent over the last year's figure. brTwo villages, Aranmula and Kumbalangi, are being promoted as tourist destinations in a big way. The two villages have been devleoped as part of the Indegenous Tourism Project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and government of India. Aranmula, a tiny, sleepy hamlet on the banks of the Pamba river in Pathanamthitta district will be open to tourists from September onwards, while Kumbalangi, a fishing village near Ernakulam is already a destination, he added. brAnother new concept called 'Home stays', plans to promote rural tourism. Tourists can live with families in their traditional homes in order to experience village life.