The Queen of the Arabian Sea will be spruced up and illuminated to help put up its most shiny face yet for the three-day Emerging Kerala summit 2012, starting September 12.
The city will have its streets cleaned up; its landmarks, iconic structures and traditional tourism spots are to get a makeover and city roads improved to receive nearly 3,000 delegates comprising business heads and government representatives from nearly 30 countries.
Meeting convened
A meeting convened by the Minister for Industries P.K. Kunhalikutty here on Tuesday decided to constitute a committee, headed by Mayor of the Corporation of Cochin Tony Chammany to explore ways of improving facilities in the city ahead of the summit.
Top police officials, representatives of the Department of Industries, officials from Kerala State Industrial Corporation (KSIDC), and heads of local bodies were present at the meeting.
Sources in KSIDC, which is overseeing the preparations for the summit, said that transport and accommodation of the delegates will be a key area of attention. Special emigration and baggage clearance counters at the Cochin International Airport will be part of the arrangements.
Boom for hotels
Good many rooms in star hotels have been reserved for accommodating guests who will arrive here for the two mega events in September – the Emerging Kerala summit and the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM).
“We are offering 25 per cent reduction in off-season tariff for guests attending the Emerging Kerala summit, who are routed to us through the KSIDC,” said Alex Joshua, manager of the KTDC-owned Bolghatty Palace Hotel.
The advantage is that they avail off-season rates that expire by September end and also get the event’s discount. Hoteliers are hoping that more tourists would come during Onam and just afterwards as compared to previous years since there is less of rains this monsoon.
The KSIDC has blocked rooms for the summit, while many guests have paid the advance and reserved rooms in our hotel, said Soma Mathew, the sales manager of Holiday Inn.
Being the host for the summit and the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), our rooms are fully booked for the events, said the public relations officer of Le Meridien, Chinnu Jimmy. “We have almost completed the renovation of our international convention centre, foreseeing the events. Frequent meetings are being held with the organisers to finalise the arrangements.”
Taking into account the possible shortage of hotel rooms in the city during the Kerala Travel Mart, a few guests are likely to be accommodated in homestays, while some others would be put up in hotels and homestays outside the city.
