Kannur International Airport Ltd. (KIAL) Managing Director V. Thulasidas has said the airport company is planning to set up an ‘airport village’ in the airport.
Addressing a tourism fraternity meet organised jointly by KIAL and the Bekal Tourism Development Corporation (BRDC) in association with the North Malabar Chamber of Commerce (NMCC) here on Thursday, Mr. Thulasidas said the airport village was more commercial in nature and not much of cultural exposition.
Referring to a proposal for setting up a prototype village in the airport, he said KIAL would consider it if those interested in the idea of prototype village came forward and set it up. “We perhaps will be able to give land for that,” he added.
Art gallery
He announced that KIAL was planning to set up an art gallery in the airport for artists from Kerala and Karnataka. They would be able to exhibit their works there. The company would provide the hospitality sector in both the States a combined space in the airport, both in the international and domestic areas. “The stakeholders together can decide how that space can be used,” he added.
The Kannur airport would be beneficial not only for travel trade or tour operators but also for the public.
Reacting to tour operators’ demand that KIAL initiate talks with airline companies for having tie-up to facilitate group travel, Mr. Thulasidas said KIAL would do that.
Stressing the need for more hotels and resorts in the region, he warned that the tourism potential of North Malabar should not be allowed to be overexploited. “Tourism development should be sustainable,” he added.
Noting that the new airport was an important infrastructure in the region, Mr. Thulasidas said the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) was acquiring 5,000 acres of land located around the airport to start a business park.