Kerala - Kochi   

Ocean Race village opened

Photo: Vipin Chandran

BOOSTING TOURISM: People queue up to visit the Volvo pavilion at the Race Village in the city. —

KOCHI: All roads led to Willingdon Island on the winter evening of Wednesday as the Volvo Ocean Race village opened to the public.

Thousands of people participated in the event at the Race Village, put up in record time. Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi joined the celebrations as he declared that Kochi was proud to be part of the Volvo Ocean Race.

He said it would boost Kerala’s tourism potential and cement the State’s place on the tourism map of the world.

He wished the racers well as he reminded the guests that nobody would forget a visit to Kerala. He led a host of dignitaries to light the lamp.

Minister for Home and Tourism Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that the marina project coming up close to the Bolghatty Palace Hotel would be completed in one year.

The facility will be open to berth 50 yachts.

There will be 40 rooms and accompanying facilities, said the Minister.

The Volvo Ocean Race stopover is an eye-opener to the State on its potential as a world tourism destination.

Mr. Balakrishnan also said that the State had not realised its full potential in the field and that events like this and the coming National Games in the city would give a boost to the fortunes of the State.

Thousands of people gathered at the Race Village, spread over two acres.

The Race Village will be the focus of the events over the next 10 days as it will host an exhibition and lifestyle shows. Knut Frostad, Chief Executive Officer of Volvo Event Management, UK, said that the reception for the racers at Kochi was warm and its facilities were second to none.

He said that this was also a competition to see who could build a race village at the fastest pace. The facilities here, he said, should make Kochi proud.

Chandran Pillai and Sebastian Paul, MPs, K. V. Thomas and Thomas Chandy, MLAs, E. K. Bharat Bhushan, Joint Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Cherian Philip, Chairman Kerala Tourism Development Corporation and Cmdr. Ajay Narang, Honorary Secretary General of Yachting Association of India were among the guests of honour at the occasion.

Chairman of Cochin Port Trust N. Ramachandran welcomed the gathering.

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