Tourism News
Kerala’s Design Policy to Drive Future Growth and Boost Creative Economy: Minister Mohamed Riyas
The government’s design policy will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Kerala by bolstering the state’s creative economy, according to the Minister for Tourism and Public Works, Shri P. A. Mohamed Riyas. Inaugurating a three-day Design Policy Workshop on Friday, the 27th of September, 2024; Shri Riyas emphasized the transformative impact this policy will have on various sectors, particularly tourism.
Organized by Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Ltd. (KTIL) at the Government Guest House, the workshop aimed to explore the integration of design principles into the state’s tourism and public infrastructure. Minister Riyas highlighted that the design policy would make public assets more sustainable, aesthetically appealing and user-friendly, with tourism being the sector that stands to benefit the most.
“The design policy will position Kerala as a global design destination while developing a design-based economy. I'm proud to say that Kerala is the first state to adopt a comprehensive design policy for tourism, with the first project already underway in Kollam Municipal Corporation. This is just the beginning, and many more initiatives are on the way,” the minister said.
He further stressed the importance of accelerating the implementation of the policy, setting clear deadlines and establishing timelines that reflect Kerala’s unique context and practical considerations.
Shri Riyas also underscored the significance of branding Kerala’s culture, art and heritage as part of the state's tourism strategy. "To achieve our goals, we need to strategically promote Kerala's unique offerings," he noted.
The minister also shared the achievement of Kerala’s Responsible Tourism initiative, which won two Tourism Village Awards from the Union Ministry of Tourism on World Tourism Day, further strengthening Kerala’s tourism credentials.
The workshop, attended by experts in the field, is expected to provide valuable recommendations, including landscape designs near water bodies and bridges, enhancing public spaces through art projects, lighting for bus stops, and organizing festivals that focus on Kerala’s museums. The concepts shared during the workshop will be reviewed by Prof. K. T. Ravindran, Former Dean of the School of Planning and Architecture, and Prof. Praveen Nahar, Director of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. A comprehensive report based on these discussions will be submitted to the Tourism Minister.
The key speakers at the workshop included Shri S. K. Sajeesh, Chairman of KTIL, Shri Vishnuraj P., Additional Director of the Department of Tourism, and Shri Manoj Kumar K., Managing Director of KTIL.
