The Destination Challenge project prepared by the Department of Tourism with the objective of developing at least one tourist destination within the limits of all the local bodies in the State will begin on June 8.
The State-level inauguration of the project to be implemented in association with the Local Self-Government department (LSGD) will be done by Minister for Local Self-Governments M.V. Govindan in the capital on the day. The decision to launch the project was taken at a meeting attended by Minister for Tourism P.A. Mohamed Riyas and Mr. Govindan here on Thursday.
The project envisages developing 100 unexplored destinations into tourist destinations in a year. The LSGD will extend all the necessary support to the project prepared by the Department of Tourism, said Mr. Govindan at the meeting.
The Tourism department will bear 60% (subject to a maximum of ₹50 lakh of the project cost) of the cost of each project and the balance funds should be met by the respective local bodies through plan grants, supplemented by own funds or any other funds. The State government has already sanctioned ₹50 crore to develop these unexplored destinations for tourists.
The detailed project report of each destination should be prepared and submitted along with the estimate online by the local bodies concerned. Revenue from the project area can be fully claimed by the local bodies. This amount should be used for destination maintenance. For this, a detailed business plan should also be prepared and submitted to the Department of Tourism. With the implementation of the project, there would be a big leap in the domestic tourism sector in the State, said Mr Riyas.
