What was the aim and purpose behind setting up a separate identity for Bekal tourism?
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| I C Mahesh |
Government of India declared Bekal as a Special Tourism Area in 1992. In order to develop Bekal as a beach destination, Government of Kerala formed the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) in 1995 under the Companies Act, 1951. The idea was to develop Bekal as an international standard destination.
BRDC is a non-profit organisation, so how are the promotional activities of the organisation funded?
BRDC is a public sector undertaking under the department of Tourism, Government of Kerala. BRDC generates its own funds by leasing out properties and consultancy work. The Government of Kerala is also supporting BRDC in promotional ventures through Department of Tourism.
What are the promotional plans lined up for Bekal this coming peak season?
BRDC will be participating in tourism trade fairs in the national and international levels jointly with department of Tourism, Government of Kerala. The department has already released advertisements focusing on Bekal and North Kerala.
Does Bekal attract tourists all the year round? What is the mix of visitors?
Bekal attracts tourists all round the year. The tourists are mainly leisure tourists. As Bekal is a new destination, business tourists are limited.
Does BRDC have any specific plans to develop Bekal as a MICE destination? What are the conference/ meetings/ convention facilities available in the district?
All the resorts coming under BRDC have facilities for conference/ conventions. The newly opened resorts in Bekal namely the Lalit Resort and Spa and Vivanta by Taj Bekal have conferencing facilities with a capacity of 100 and 200 pax respectively. Other hotels/ resorts in the district have mini conferencing halls.
Has the Kerala Tourism policy allotted any funds for the promotion of tourism in the region?
Department of Tourism has been funding promotions of North Kerala including Bekal.
Recently Bekal played host to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)’s India Initiative Retreat’. What did it mean for the destination?
Bekal was privileged to host WTTC’s India Initiative Retreat. The event helped showcase Bekal among tourism’s stakeholders and entrepreneurs.
What are your expectations from Kerala Travel amrt (KTM) this year?
We are hoping that the Kerala Travel Mart will generate more enquiries for the properties in Bekal. We will get to showcase Bekal and our properties to the travel and tour operators fraternity.
