KOCHI: A proposal to introduce online facility for processing the applications for tourism enterprises is under active consideration of the government, Industries Minister P Rajeev said on Tuesday. Rajeeve said the facility will be launched soon, enabling ventures to link even with the existing portals for approval by panchayats.
The minister’s announcement came at the sectoral meeting of tourism and hospitality sector convened by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) as a build-up to the Invest Kerala Global Summit, to be held in Kochi on February 21 and 22.
Inaugurating the meeting, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas pitched for a single-window system for issuing different permits for tourism enterprises. Authorities have initiated intensive efforts to start innovative initiatives in the field of travel and hospitality, Riyas revealed.
He highlighted the need for a single-window system to sanction various permits for tourism enterprises, like the case with other industries. “At present, there is a liaison system at the tourism department. It should be stabilised and brought under a single-window system,” he told the delegates.
Riyas said the department has come up with an ‘investment desk’ that is engaged in the evaluation of its further activities.
“Linking it with the industry’s single-window system will be of great benefit,” he added. The minister also said unified system to start an incubator for start-ups in the tourism sector will be ready soon.
Rajeeve, while noting that tourism held the highest investment potential among all sectors in Kerala, said the travel and hospitality industry had the capacity to generate “maximum employment with minimum investment”.
Calling upon entrepreneurs to develop novel ideas and products in the tourism sector, he assured “all support” from the government on this front.