Buoyed by the demand for its budget tour packages, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has set a target of 1,000 package tours to pristine locales in the State during the April-May summer vacation. It is part of the agency’s ‘Mission 1000’ initiative, for which tourist buses will be hired if needed, Biju Prabhakar, Chairman and Managing Director of KSRTC, has said.
Launched on November 1 (Kerala Day) 2021, the budget tours operated an average of 40 buses during weekends and have become a big hit. “It has also become a profitable venture, despite affordable pricing. The very same tours, if booked through tour operators, could cost three times as much. All arrangements, including economically-priced food and restrooms, are arranged by KSRTC’s budget tour cell (BTC). Being a government agency, the trust of approval is very high, so much so that people are opting for repeated travel for the tours,” he added.
The tours are arranged to forest or hilly areas, waterfalls, and beaches, while a tie-up has been established with city-based Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) for backwater cruises from Marine Drive.
“We operated a total of 190 package tours, hosting 51,000 people and earning a revenue of ₹1.96 crore, till February 28. Demand and customer satisfaction are so high that we are often unable to spare buses,” said Jacob Sam Lopez, chief traffic manager of the BTC. “The popular destinations include Munnar, Malakkapara, Munroe Thuruth, Vagamon, Nelliyampathi and Wayanad. Trips range between one and three days (the Wayanad-Munnar tour). Such tours will be operated from more depots during the summer vacation,” he said.
The agency has been operating fast passenger, super-fast and low-floor AC buses for these tours. “The RTC operated 100 tours in connection with International Women’s Day from March 8 to 13, hosting 4,500 women. Demand was more from northern districts,” said Mr. Lopez.
Yet another venture of the KSRTC that is in demand is six AC sleeper buses, which can be availed for accommodation for as low as ₹100 per person in Munnar. Four such buses would shortly be readied in Wayanad, said official sources.
