Rs 455cr relief package for tourism

Thiruvananthapuram: State tourism department has announced Rs.455cr subsidized loan assistance scheme for helping the crisis ridden industry.
Tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran said small players in the industry can avail up to Rs.2 lakh and medium sized businesses can avail up to Rs.25 lakh loan from the tourism department for revival of their existing projects.
The minister said the tourism sector suffered a loss of Rs.25,000 crore due to the pandemic. The sector used to provide job opportunities for around 15 lakh people. Around 12 lakh foreign tourists had visited the state during the last season and the number of domestic tourists too had almost touched two crore then. The industry brought as foreign exchange Rs.45,000 cr during the last season.
The state tourism department would pay 50% of the interest on loans for the first year for entrepreneurs who avail loans up to Rs.25 lakh for the revival of their business. The second scheme is for employees in the sector. In association with Kerala Bank, the department would help them to avail loans up to Rs.30,000 at 9% interest rate.tnn