NEWS / ASSOCIATIONS
KERALA TOURISM SECTOR SHOULD BE OPENED IMMEDIATELY - CKTI Tourism is the highest income-earning sector with more than 45000 Crores and contributing 12% to the state GDP in 2019
T
he Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry (CKTI) has called on the government to take immediate steps to reopen the tourism sector in the state, which has been com-
Mr. E.M. Najeeb President, CKTI 28
SEPTEMBER 2020 TOURISM INDIA
pletely closed for the past six months due to the nationwide lockdown and global travel restrictions of COVID 19, back to the path of survival and recovery. The tourism sector, which has been in crisis since travel restrictions were imposed globally in last February, has been completely shut down with the lockdown imposed in India by March 24. More than 15 lakh people directly and 20 lakh people indirectly working in the tourism sector of the state and being the highest-earning industrial service sector in the state. Tourism is the highest income-earning sector with more than 45000 Crores and contributing around 12% to the state GDP in 2019. Excluding expatriate investment, it is one of the most lucrative foreign exchange earning sectors in the country and more than 20000 local investors and entrepreneurs are working in this sector with the support of bank loans and other financial institutions support.
Central and State Governments should be prepared to take wartime measures to rescue the sector from the more damaging situation and intervene to restart the regular business with adequate safety and health control mea-
Mr. Sajeev Kurup, General Secretary, CKTI
