THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid heated debate over whether ministers should travel abroad or not to mobilise funds for post-flood reconstruction, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran is all set to tour Japan, Singapore and China to attend travel and tourism expos. The General Administration Department had issued orders on September 1 sanctioning the minister’s triple trips which will be spread over September, October and November.
The government order further states that the full expense of the official trips will be borne by the state.
From September 20 to 23, the minister will be in Tokyo, Japan, for the JATA Tourism Expo which boasts the tagline ‘The Power of Travel.’ From October 17 to 19, the minister will fly to Singapore for ITB Asia, a leading travel trade show slated to be held at the Marine Bay Sands.In November, the minister will again leave Kerala, this time for the China International Travel Mart. The mammoth tourism fair is slated to be held in the city of Shanghai from November 16 to November 18.
The Tourism Minister called the trips routine affair and justified them saying that the direct presence of the government was desirable in view of the sharp hit taken by the state’s tourism sector in the aftermath of the Ockhi cyclone, Nipah virus outbreak and, lately, the flood calamity.“Personally, I have no wish to go. But there is immense pressure from the industry which is ailing. Fifteen lakh people are employed in the tourism sector contributing a large chunk to the GDP. But whether I should go or not will be decided after talking with the Chief Minister,” said Kadakampally.
The minister said he had only left the country twice before on official trips, though numerous invitations had come his way. Moreover, after Tuesday’s order banning government-sponsored celebration came out, Kadakampally was quick to respond that the Kerala Travel Mart planned for September end in Kochi was not a celebration, but a business enterprise.
Nevertheless, on Wednesday, the minister’s travel plans drew criticism from Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala. “There is no problem in going, but ministers should think twice about leaving the state in such a situation,” he said, referring to the state of affairs after the flood. Kadakampally’s foreign trips are also coming at a time when such journeys themselves have been hit by controversy.
Recently, CPI minister K Raju had drawn flak from the public and his own party for choosing to fly to Germany while the state was battling the disastrous floods. Raju subsequently faced a public censure from the CPI.
Minister’s itinerary
September 20-23
JATA Tourism Expo, Tokyo
October 17-19
ITB Asia, Singapore
November 16-18
China International Travel Mart, Shanghai