Kerala all set to welcome first chartered flight of Oz-some tourists

KOCHI: Indicating that the tourism sector is springing back into action after the recent floods, the season’s first chartered flight, with tourists from Australia, will arrive in Kochi on September 15. The Tourism Department is all set to accord a warm and ceremonious welcome to the visitors.

The chartered flight, with 60 tourists on board, will head from Australia and will arrive at the Nedumbassery International Airport at 6 pm. The visitors will be given a warm reception that would include 'panchavadyam' and 'kathakali pacha vesham'.

In a release, Tourism Department Director P Bala Kiran said the arrival of the chartered flight consisting mostly tourists from Australia will send out a definitive message that the tourism sector in Kerala is all geared up to welcome the visitors. “It will also help remove the perception the influx of tourists is dwindling in the state,” he said.The passengers belong to a tourist group in Australia named ‘Captain Group’. The chartered flight has been arranged by Divine Voyages Pvt Ltd.

Kerala Tourism has been diligently engaged in a campaign to promote the state as a comprehensive tourism destination, said state Tourism Secretary Rani George. “At this point, Kerala Tourism needs a lot of backing to tell the world the tourism industry is still going strong. And the arrival of this season's first chartered flight will certainly send out that message," she said.

On Sunday, a day after their arrival, the tourists will visit Fort Kochi and Mattanchery, the two prominent tourist destinations in Kochi. Later, 20 tourists will head to a private farm near Angamaly for a cooking demo class showing Kerala cuisines.

On Monday, the tourists will make a trip to Alappuzha to have a unique houseboat experience in the backwaters. They will leave for Goa on Tuesday. The group will also visit Udaipur, Jodhpur, Varanasi and Kolkata before returning.