Tourism News
The 10th Sargaalaya Arts and Crafts Festival begins in Kozhikode
The Minister for Tourism Mr P. A. Mohamed Riyas has opened the 10th edition of the Sargaalaya International Arts and Crafts Festival (SIACF) at the Sargaalaya Kerala Arts and Crafts Village at Iringal near Vadakara in Kozhikode district.
Mr Riyas said that 2022 was the year in which Kerala had the maximum number of domestic tourists. The State had nearly 1.4 crore domestic tourists during the year and this is due to the far-sighted steps taken by the department to promote tourism post-COVID, the minister said.
Starting on December 22, 2022, the festival will run till January 9, 2023. The 19-day festival has participation from 11 countries, including Bangladesh, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Syria, Tajikistan, Mauritius, Uzbekistan, and Lebanon. Besides, artisans from 26 states in India are taking part in the festival. There are more than 560 artisans across 236 stalls. Uzbekistan is the partner country for this year’s edition of the festival.
The festival will have a craft bazaar organised by the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts, the Ministry of Textiles, a NABARD craft pavilion, a Kalari pavilion, and a medical exhibition.
Chief Minister opens Bekal International Beach Festival
Chief Minister Mr Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the 10-day Bekal International Beach Festival at Bekal Beach Park in Kasaragod district on December 24.
Mr Vijayan said the festival will lead to the revival of tourism in Kerala.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated a picture wall prepared by the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC), the Culture Department, and the Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi as part of the Bekal Art Project.
The festival offers a feast of cultural and musical nights, along with food festivals that reflect the cuisine of Kasaragod, sports, exhibitions and other programmes.
The festival is organised by the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC), the District Tourism Promotion Council, Kudumbashree, Asmi Holidays, and the local self-government bodies in the Kasaragod district.
A host of known well-known artistes including the likes of Nooran Sisters, Sithara Krishnakumar, Vidhu Prathap, Shabnam Riyaz, Mohammed Aslam, Praseetha Chalakkudy, Mattannoor Sankarankutty Marar and Stephen Devassy, among others, performed at the festival.
The other events during the festival are a helicopter ride, robotic show, kite fest, flower show, sand art, water sports, bridal fashion contest, beauty cutie-kids fashion show, national business trade expo, B2C FLEA Market, edu expo, automobile expo, and an aqua show, among others.
