Thiruvananthapuram: The tourism department has started discussions with stakeholders and govt departments to win an industry status for tourism. The move requires cooperation from industries, local self-govt and other departments.Tourism minister P C Vishnunadh said discussions were going on with the departments to finalise the finer details.The local self-govt department, electricity board and industries department need to thrash out the details to offer the status that will make investment easier in the sector, Vishnunadh said.Industry status has been a long-pending demand from the tourism and tour operators in the state. Almost all other states have given such a status to tourism to ensure better investment climate in the sector.Global Travel Market CEO Siji Nair said that govt departments like industries and all will lose income in the form of licence fee, power tariff and others. “But govt should realise that there will be long-term investment in the sector.”Govt should speed it up as the stakeholders have little stake in the whole process, he added.In Andhra, all land conerversion charge is zero for tourism because it is termed an industry, he said.Govt should go beyond announcements and should implement it fast, he said.Industry status would bring lower power tariffs, subsidies, easier land acquisition and dedicated tourist circuits with allied facilities. The state govt is already planning to open plantations to tourists and is also exploring homestays in locked-up houses and at farmers’ homes near forest areas. These residents would receive tax and other benefits if tourism is granted industry status.
