Thiruvananthapuram: Kovalam eyeing tourism revival with beach dining
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to restore its lost charm and revive tourism at Kovalam, which was once Keralas most sought-after beach destination, tourism stakeholders including resort owners and hoteliers have launched a beach dining initiative at the iconic Lighthouse Beach. The move comes following prolonged apathy from the tourism department and the state government that has left the destination in a state of neglect. Poor infrastructure, lack of street lighting, police-imposed time restrictions, and dilapidated tourism amenities have turned Kovalam into a major disappointment for both foreign and domestic tourists. Although the tourism department announced a comprehensive Rs 95-crore master plan a couple of years ago to restore Kovalams lost glory, little has materialised on the ground. With yet another tourism season under way and no visible efforts from the department to either improve infrastructure or enhance visitor experience, the Kerala Tourism Protection and Development Council (KTPDC) -- a collective of resort and hotel operators and tourism workers -- has decided to take the initiative by reintroducing beach dining, reminiscent of Kovalams golden days. T N Suresh, patron of KTPDC, said beach dining was a key attraction at Kovalam nearly two decades ago. We had to stop the beach dining culture after the government constructed the walkway. The past few years have been extremely tough. The destination has steadily degraded, and guests are increasingly dissatisfied, opting for other tourist spots instead. We approached the port department and obtained permission to conduct beach dining from 7 pm to 11.30 pm, said Suresh, who owns a 50-year-old property at Lighthouse Beach. To attract both foreign and domestic tourists, the stakeholders are also planning to organise live music events, campfires and beach games in the coming days. Rohan Krishnan, a hotelier and member of KTPDC, said the lack of street lighting remains one of the biggest challenges. Guests want to stay back and enjoy the beach, but the authorities do not allow it. We intervened and fixed the street lights ourselves so that we could introduce beach dining. Our aim is to bring nightlife back to the destination so that people choose to stay longer, he said. Krishnan also pointed out that waste management continues to be a pressing issue. We have instructed restaurant owners to ensure that all litter is cleared immediately after service, and we will make sure the beach remains clean, he added. Meanwhile, a tourism department official said Keltron has been entrusted with the maintenance of street lights. There were issues with the previous contractor. The street lights will be restored shortly. Fresh tenders have also been invited for cleaning and maintenance of the destination, the official said. Spot plan Poor infrastructure, lack of street lighting, police-imposed time restrictions, and dilapidated tourism amenities have turned Kovalam into a major disappointment To attract both foreign and domestic tourists, the stakeholders are also planning to organise live music events, campfires and beach games in the coming days
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