THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the state accelerating its special Covid vaccination drive to make all tourist destinations completely risk-free for visitors, the campaign has picked up momentum in all destinations including hill stations, backwater hubs, seaside holiday spots, and heritage and cultural tourism centres in the state. The drive was expedited after the successful vaccination drive at Vythiri in Wayanad, which has become the first holiday hub to complete the vaccination of the entire population in the area, including tourism sector stakeholders, under the initiative.
“In the post-pandemic phase, visitors will be looking for safe and hospitable places to spend time. The government considers it as vitally important to administer the Covid vaccine to all stakeholders in the state’s tourist destinations,” said Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas.
According to V Venu, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism department, industry bodies, employee forums and local communities are also actively involved in the campaign. The campaign is being rolled out to all service providers in travel and hospitality industry, including employees of hotels, resorts and home-stays, tour guides, taxi and auto rickshaw drivers and traders in tourism centres. Major areas to be covered under the initiative include Alappuzha, Munnar, Fort Kochi, Kovalam, Kumarakom, and Varkala.