The Kerala state government is taking steps to integrate tourism and culture, creating a unified promotional strategy with greater synergy in heritage, art, and films. The tourism and culture departments have been brought under the same minister for the first time, a move aimed at enhancing coordination and promoting the state's rich cultural assets to attract more visitors.
Background of the Merger
During previous administrations, culture and tourism were governed by different ministers. In many states across India, including Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan, these two departments operate under a single ministry. The newly appointed tourism and cultural affairs minister, P C Vishnunadh, highlighted the potential of this integration.
"It is going to be a great opportunity for us because these two sectors are going to be under the same ministry. Tourism and culture used to be separate. We have a lot of heritage and art forms that can be promoted together in tourism," Vishnunadh stated. He emphasized that the idea is to bring these sectors together so that tourists can experience and participate in the state's cultural offerings. Unified promotions and events are planned to showcase Kerala's diverse cultural heritage.
Government Initiatives and Policy Development
The government is also working on a comprehensive tourism policy and is discussing the issues that need to be included in it, according to the minister. The Department of Culture promotes various art forms, visual arts, theatre, dance, music, folklore, literature, films, and heritage conservation. It manages several prestigious institutions, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Kerala Kalamandalam, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, and the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.
Industry Perspectives
Rajkumar K, CEO of the Kerala Travel Mart Society, expressed optimism about the merger. "Bringing together tourism and culture departments under the same ministry is a positive sign as they are correlated. Coordination will be easy. Many projects can be done linking art and culture and tourism, as foreign tourists prefer to experience culture also. This will also help upgrade infrastructure in many institutions that promote art, art forms, and cultural heritage. Kerala Kalamandalam can be used for tourism promotion," he said.
The government will also be able to grant permissions for film shoots with an eye on promoting tourism, as films often make destinations popular. Rajkumar noted that several tourists started visiting Athirappilly waterfalls after the release of the movie 'Baahubali,' houseboats became more popular after the movie 'Dil Se,' and Gavi gained popularity after being featured in the movie 'Ordinary.'
Integrated Promotion and Resource Utilization
Siji Nair, CEO of Global Travel Market, said that integration can be done more effectively and resources can be used meaningfully, as the culture department has many sites and institutions under its purview, handling art, heritage, culinary traditions, and more. "There can be integrated promotion of art and culture, events, and facilitation of travel and tourism," he said. Nair added that tourism and culture are interconnected, but both were taking different directions under separate ministries.
This strategic move is expected to create a cohesive approach to promoting Kerala's unique cultural identity, boosting tourism while preserving and showcasing the state's rich heritage.
