THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In six months, the tranquil beach at Shankhumukham a popular getaway spot in Thiruvananthapuram would become the perfect place to get hitched. The tourism department is planning to revamp Muthuchippi park near the beach as a wedding venue.
The initiative comes close on the heels of the ‘Destination Wedding’ campaign launched by the tourism department that aims to woo future couples from across the globe by promoting Kerala as the ideal destination to tie the knot.
“The project will take off immediately and will be completed in six months,” District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) secretary Sharon Veettil told TNIE. The work order will be issued soon after getting the district collector’s nod, he said. This is the first time in Kerala that such an initiative is being planned in the public sector.
The project will be implemented on the Build, Operate, Transfer (BOT) model for an estimated Rs 3 crore. Sharon said they are not planning to use public funds to execute the project. “Our aim is to revive the unused property and elevate it to international standards without compromising on quality.
We have finalised the agency through the Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) method after an evaluation of its financial and technical bid by our technical committee,” he said, adding that the plan is to build an amphitheatre that can accommodate around 300 people, making it ideal for weddings and parties.
“We are also planning to set up a sea-view cafe, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) zones. The project is being planned in a way that does not involve hard construction. The majority of the construction will be temporary and environment-friendly. We aim to give the destination an international touch,” Sharon said. The agency implementing the project has agreed to pay an annual lease amount of Rs 12.5 lakh to the DTPC.
The authorities are also planning to start water sports, including jet skiing and speed boat rides, at Shankhumugham beach. The tourism department has launched aggressive marketing campaigns to promote Kerala as the ideal wedding destination. “Digital campaigns have already been launched.
A microsite (brand-specific website or a single webpage) would be launched on the Kerala Tourism website for a destination weddings,” said a senior official with the department’s marketing wing.