THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Tourism’s vision is to attract visitors by showcasing the state’s natural assets and cultural heritage before the world without hurting them, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas has said. In his message on World Tourism Day (September 27), Riyas said the state was shifting from the traditional development mode and paying utmost attention to preserve its social, environmental and cultural features so as to benefit the local community.
“The theme of this year’s World Tourism Day is ‘Rethinking Tourism’, which gives emphasis on developing and promoting tourism based on the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations. Kerala Tourism reiterates its firm commitment to these ideals, while striving to make ‘God’s Own Country’ more accessible to visitors,” he said.
The state has already set a globally-acclaimed model by turning tourism into a sustainable activity through the ‘Responsible Tourism’ initiative, he said.