THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 35th National Games underway in the state has not just given some houseful venues, but attracted numerous tourists also. Along with the venues of the Games in the capital district, the famous tourist spots here also are witnessing a big ‘participation’ of athletes and other officials from other states.
According to the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation chairman Vijayan Thomas, the Games period is witnessing an increase in the number of tourists in major tourist centres in the district. ‘’All the tourist centres here are getting many tourists, who in fact arrived here as part of the Games. The hotels and cottages here were booked as part of this and those are expected to remain occupied till the Games are over,’’ he said.
The main tourist spots in the district include Ponmudi, Veli, Shanghumugham and Kovalam are attracting good number of ‘games people’ during these days. According to police, though a big crowd is not been seen there at a time, there is a slight increase in the number of tourists after the games started.
Meanwhile, Vijayan Thomas, who is the co-chairman of the transport committee of National Games also, said the vehicles taken by the committee will not be used for tour purposes of the participants or other officials.
“The vehicles are taken for transport the participants from games village to the venues and back. It will not be given for other purposes. For such needs they have to arranged vehicles by themselves,’’ he said.
According to the city-based travel agencies, the major share of the vehicles with them are booked as part of this sort of trips. “ We have given vehicles for this sort of trips as they were booked before and also for other uses of National Games,” said Mohan of Ambady Travels.
Vijayan Thomas said that the KTDC is expecting a good revenue as all of its hotels in the seven districts where the games are being conducted with its rooms booked till the last day of the sports meet. ‘’As of now, the revenue we earned this year is around Rs 12 crore and it will reach Rs 15 crore by the end of March,’’ he said.