KOTTAYAM: As the KSRTC vertical Budget Tourism Centre (BTC) completes four years, tourism packages have turned out to be a significant revenue generator for the the transport utility. Buoyed by the success of intra-state packages, BTC is poised to introduce inter-state packages. As part of the expansion of BTC, the state government launched special buses exclusively for tourism packages last week.
The budget tourism initiative, launched in November 2021, has recorded steady revenue growth, from Rs 13.54 crore in the first year to Rs 33.06 crore until October this year, marking a whopping 245% increase in revenue. The corporation aims to raise it to Rs 40 crore by the end of December. Currently, BTC offers around 1,600 packages through nearly 80 KSRTC depots — out of total 93 — across the state. The number of scheduled trips have risen to 1,200 trips per month.
Inter-state packages
As BTC prepares to launch inter-state services, the number of packages and schedules will increase accordingly. BTC officials confirmed that the service to Tamil Nadu will commence soon, and its formalities have been completed.
“Earlier, BTC packages could only operate to destinations where KSRTC had secured route permits outside Kerala. Now, permission has been granted to organise packages across Tamil Nadu, by securing contract carriage permits for six days,” Suresh Kumar, BTC coordinator at Kilimanoor depot, told TNIE.
The BTC authorities are planning to conduct trips to destinations like Ooty, Kodaikanal, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and Mahabalipuram. However, obtaining special permits from Tamil Nadu is a complex process, as destinations must be notified in advance and the complete list of passengers should be uploaded online before applying for the permit. Hence, the authorities have to announce the trip in advance.
For instance, the Kilimanoor depot has announced a Madurai-Rameshwaram-Kodaikanal trip scheduled for December, with bookings opening in October.
Exclusive buses for BTC packages
The KSRTC has also allocated specially refurbished buses exclusively for BTC packages, which were launched by Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar last week. KSRTC chief traffic manager R Udayakumar said BTC will get 150 buses, with 10 already distributed to various depots.
“We plan to provide buses to all depots operating BTC packages in a phased manner. Initially, buses will be provided to BTCs that operate highest schedules. We plan to provide buses to all depots within two months, possibly after the Sabarimala pilgrimage season,” he said.
The refurbished buses are equipped with facilities like mobile charging units beside each seat. Meanwhile, there is an unofficial directive that brand new buses need not be given to BTC. The employees have also raised concerns of a lack of adequate deluxe buses for inter-state services. “For inter-state travel, air buses with push-back seats, and semi-sleeper facilities are needed. The lack of such buses is likely to affect inter-state packages,” an official said.
‘Travel to Technology’ for children
BTCs also operates ‘travel to technology’ packages for school children, in a tie-up with schools. “We have already operated 167 trips for children so far this year. Mostly, the trips are planned by clubbing an industrial unit or historical monument and a tourism destination We have arranged as many as 90 such packages across the state,” Udayakumar said.