’Tis the sea-son: Water sports at Kovalam Beach a big hit

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kovalam has turned into a hot spot for adventure water sports with the introduction of winch boat parasailing. With the destination receiving around 5,000 visitors on weekends alone, hundreds are participating in parasailing, which was launched in January. With adventure water sports becoming popular, Bond Adventure Private Ltd, the company behind the venture, plans to introduce parasailing in Muzhappilangad and Kozhikode beaches. 

“Despite the pandemic, many people from north Kerala are travelling to Kovalam solely to experience parasailing. Starting the same in north Kerala will easily lure more people,”said Jackson Peter, managing director, Bond Adventure Private Ltd. Local tourists and people from Tamil Nadu are in the majority of visitors to Kovalam beach these days.“A host of activities will be coming up at Muzhappilangad beach.

The introduction of adventure water sports will further enhance the tourism prospects of the destination, which in turn will help local businesses to flourish. We plan to launch the activities after the state elections,” added JacksonMore projectsJackson said that they are planning to introduce a cruise liner when the next tourism season commences. “It will be similar to the Nefertiti Cruise in Kochi,” he said. The cruise will have seating of 150 with a budget of Rs 10 to 15 crore. Passengers can travel for four hours within the limits of Vizhinjam port. 

“It will be a luxury experience for domestic and foreign tourists. The project design is under way. We hope to introduce new experiences yearly to attract more tourists. With the Covid-19 vaccination drive under way, we hope that more tourists will visit Kerala next year.

Encouraging adventure 
“The government’s policy is to support private parties in setting up adventure sports activities across Kerala. From the paperwork to providing infrastructure, the government is ready to extend its support,” said an official of the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society. “Earlier we just had activities like speed boating on our beaches. People should be provided with a choice of activities to lure them. Parasailing should be implemented on all beaches. This will accelerate adventure water sports in Kerala,” the official added.