All tourist boats to undergo safety check in Kerala

October 7th, 2009 THEKKADY - The tourist boat that capsized in a lake here Sep 30, leading to the loss of 45 lives, had defects, a shipping expert confirmed Wednesday. He said more tests would now be conducted on the vessel.

October 1st, 2009 THEKKADY - The pleasure cruise that ended in a watery grave for 41 tourists in the famed Periyar wildlife sanctuary here could have been avoided, experts said Thursday, as the government admitted lapses in ensuring basic security measures like lifejackets. Eleven more bodies were pulled out of the Thekkady lake, upping the toll to 41.

October 1st, 2009 THEKKADY - Kerala Forests Minister Binoy Viswam Thursday said boating activity on the Thekkady lake in central Kerala's Periyar Wild Life Sanctuary will be suspended till all boats undergo fitness tests. Vishwam said the forest and tourism departments have four and five boats, respectively.

October 1st, 2009 THEKKADY - The boat tragedy in Kerala's Thekkady tourist spot that killed 42 people Wednesday evening could have been avoided if the state government had taken measures like appointing a water transport safety commissioner, an official who inquired into a similar incident in 2002 said Thursday. Justice K. Narayana Kurup, who headed the inquiry commission into the Kumarakom boat tragedy in Kottayam district that killed 27 people, said a competent authority should have been appointed to look into all the safety aspects.

October 1st, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Admitting that there had been lapses, the Kerala government Thursday said the Thekkady boat tragedy was "an accident" and would not hit tourist inflow to the state that is promoted abroad as 'God's own country'. "It is a waterway accident like a road accident.

September 30th, 2009 17 die as tourist boat capsizes in southern IndiaNEW DELHI — A boat carrying 75 tourists capsized on a reservoir in southern India on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people and leaving dozens missing, police said. The state-owned boat was traveling in the remote Thekkady forest area in Kerala state and capsized after the tourists rushed to one side as they spotted some animals in the forest, tilting the vessel dangerously, said police officer R.

September 30th, 2009 31 die as tourist boat capsizes in southern IndiaNEW DELHI — A boat carrying 74 tourists capsized on a reservoir in southern India on Wednesday, killing at least 31 people and leaving dozens missing, police said. The state-owned boat was traveling in the remote Thekkady forest area in Kerala state and capsized after the tourists rushed to one side as they spotted some elephants in a wildlife sanctuary, tilting the vessel over, said police officer R.

September 30th, 2009 THEKKADY - At least 30 tourists drowned when a boat capsized in a lake in the Periyar wildlife sanctuary of Kerala Wednesday evening, police said. With rescue work continuing, the toll was feared to go up.

September 30th, 2009 28 die as tourist boat capsizes in southern IndiaNEW DELHI — A boat carrying 75 tourists capsized on a reservoir in southern India on Wednesday, killing at least 28 people and leaving dozens missing, police said. The state-owned boat was traveling in the remote Thekkady forest area in Kerala state and capsized after the tourists rushed to one side as they spotted some animals in the forest, tilting the vessel over, said police officer R.

August 3rd, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala Tourism has been awarded the 2009 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award in the marketing destination category and has been selected as "best in class" from amongst 236 entries worldwide. The award ceremony will take place Sep 25 during the PATA Travel Mart 2009 in Hangzhou, China, according to a Kerala Tourism release issued here Monday.

June 11th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Fish will become costlier in Kerala as the state enforces an annual trawling ban in the sea up to 12 nautical miles from the coast for 47 days starting June 16. Chief Minister V.S.

June 8th, 2009 SHIMLA - Himachal Pradesh, one of India's more popular tourist destinations, will now promote ancient systems of nature cure on the pattern of Kerala to lure health-conscious affluent visitors, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has said. "Our main focus will now be to tap high-end health tourists.

May 12th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Kerala Tourism has tied up with private carrier Jet Airways to offer 'Jet2Kerala', a special scheme that offers low-cost air tickets to domestic tourists flying to the state. The Jet2Kerala scheme, which was launched in Mumbai Tuesday, will offer travellers tickets - from premium to business classes - and accommodation - in luxury properties as well as budget hotels - at discounted rates, a government statement released here said.

May 4th, 2009 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Several leading tour operators from Britain arrived here Monday for a four-day Kerala familiarisation trip. The group includes senior officials of top British tour companies Carlton Leisure, Crystal, Exodus, Explore, Allison Brothers and Kuoni and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Ethihad Airways.

December 31st, 2008 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - All four and five-star hotels in Kerala have been asked to prepare a detailed layout plan and undergo a security audit, a state minister said Thursday. 'This has been undertaken in the aftermath of the recent Mumbai terror attacks.