Minister's Diary, Newsletter, Kerala Tourism


	For the first time Kerala Tourism is making a bold step to intervene in the overall development of a destination through a single and comprehensive master plan. I am talking about the eco-township that is going to come up in Munnar - the popular hill destination in Kerala. The life and aspirations of the people of Munnar and its overall developments so far were largely influenced by the plantation industry. But Munnar is not the destination that was some 15 or 20 years ago. The first step towards the realization of an eco-township in Munnar was made recently through the release of an ordinance. Munnar is home to a wealth of flora and fauna that deserves added measures for its sustenance. And the government has initiated the process of preparing a master plan for Munnar Eco-Township. This master plan would clearly define the different zones meant for commercial, residential, leisure and recreational use in the town of Munnar. And to me this venture would eventually transform Munnar into an international eco-tourism destination and definitely would set up a new benchmark for planned tourism development in Kerala.
	Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Minister for Tourism Government of Kerala