#Kerala Tourism has lost estimated Rs.1000 cr. due to #DeMonetisation

Kerala’s tourism sector has registered an estimated loss of about Rs 1,000 crore, following a dip in the arrival of foreign and domestic tourists since the Centre announced demonetization of high-value currencies.

#Kerala Tourism has lost estimated Rs.1000 cr. due to #DeMonetisation so far pic.twitter.com/NEuzraozhK

— Press Release Watch (@PrReleaseWatch) January 12, 2017

Other highlights:-
 
In Sep 2016, foreign tourist arrivals showed an uptick of 5.61% compared to that of Sep 2015.

The domestic tourist arrivals figure in Sep 2016 increased by 6.01% compared to that of Sep 2015

Foreign exchange earnings for the year 2015 was Rs. 6949.88 cr. which recorded an increase of 8.61% over the previous year.

Total revenue (direct and indirect) from tourism in 2015 is Rs 26689.63 cr. showing an increase of 7.25% over the previous year’s figure.

Kerala Tourism department organized a roadshow in Bengaluru today after Chennai.It plans to have road shows in Hyderabad and Kolkata as well in next few days.

Kerala HC quashes proceedings against the 6 accused women including two lady lawyers in Cochin ‘Nude Protest case

Women activists in Kerala were protesting against the rape of two Dalit girls in UP.In its judgement the Kerala High Court has said,"On an evaluation of the entire facts and circumstances of this case, has no hesitation to hold that by no stretch of imagination can it be held that the accused have in any way committed an act, which amounts to a lascivious act or which appeals to the prurient interest or that it tended to deprave, corrupt and defile the morals of any persons, so as to attract the vital elements of obscenity as contemplated in Secs.292 and 294(a) of the I.P.C.”

FIR against #Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani

An FIR has been registered against Kerala Finance Minister KM Mani. State's vigilance department after initial probe found prima facie evidence against the minister.Mani has been accused of demanding bribe to allow the reopening of 418 bars shut down in the state in the wake of change in liquor policy.

FIR against Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani by Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau in the bar bribe scam: Vigilance sources.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 11, 2014

Whistleblower bar owner Biju Ramesh has alleged that Rs 1 crore was given to Mani as the first instalment of the Rs 5 crore he had demanded.Earlier, the Kerala High court had last week rejected a plea for registration of an FIR against Mani.

Sustainable Agriculture project on spice farmers of #Kerala gets International Microentrepreneurship Awards in #Paris

PlaNet Finance from #Kerala gets International Microentrepreneurship Award for Sustainable Agriculture pic.twitter.com/I1VweYJMZn
— Press Release Watch (@PrReleaseWatch) December 10, 2014

The Spices project, implemented by Pernod Ricard and PlaNet Finance, was awarded an International Microentrepreneurship Award last night. Project leader Betty Joseph accepted this award with emotion and presented her initiative today at Pernod Ricard Headquarters in Paris.
Thanks to this project lead by Betty Joseph, Pernod Ricard and local partners; 100 spice farmers from the Kerala region got access to international market opportunities with Pernod Ricard Italy, as the spices are essential to the production of Ramazzotti. This sustainable agriculture initiative allowed Indian producers to diversify their farming, introducing zedoary crops and trading them fairly. Vetiver crops were also added, giving 60 women from local communities the opportunity to learn how to turn it into handicrafts and generating extra income.  In total, 502 farmers have been trained on financial literacy to better manage and plan their finances.

100% coverage of house holds with Bank accounts in #Kerala under #PMJDY

In a brief function arranged by SLBC Kerala today, at Durbar Hall, Govt. Secretariat Trivandrum, Finance Minister of Kerala Sri. K. M. Mani declared the state of Kerala as 100% covered with bank accounts for all Households.The Finance Minister also released the Malayalam version of the PMJDY Mission Document and Pictorial Book about Financial Literacy Centres.

100% coverage of house holds with Bank accounts in #Kerala under Pradhan MantriJan Dhan Yojana (#PMJDY) pic.twitter.com/aq7atH1G7z
— Press Release Watch (@PrReleaseWatch) November 11, 2014

Speaking on the occasion, Sri P S Rawat, Executive Director Canara Bank and  Nodal Officer for PMJDY and Chairman SLBC, lauded the efforts of the banks in the state in carrying out the mammoth exercise of survey of all the households in the Rural areas and Urban wards in a record time and for simultaneous opening of accounts for the uncovered households.  He also thanked all the stake holders of SLBC for making the mission a grand success.
Over 11000 camps were oraganised throughout the state by all the banks and 12.80 lac accounts were opened during the past 3 months thereby achieving 100% coverage of households in rural and urban wards. 5.25 lac RuPay Debit Cards have been issued by all banks.

#BlackMoney #Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani faces vigilance probe

Biju Ramesh, chief of the Kerala Hotels and Bar Association, had alleged in a TV show on a Malayalam channel recently that he was asked for a bribe of Rs. 5 crore in return for renewal of licenses of the bars. Mr. Ramesh further alleged that he paid part of the sum - Rs. 1 crore - to Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani.

#Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani faces vigilance probe pic.twitter.com/7JKDfD6E7A
— Press Release Watch (@PrReleaseWatch) November 2, 2014

Kerala government's vigilance department has begun a preliminary inquiry in the case. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has denied the allegations against his Finance Minister.

#KeralaKissDay : 50 #kissoflove organisers taken into preventive custody by #Kerala police

#KeralaKissDay : 50 #kissoflove organisers taken into preventive custody by #Kerala police pic.twitter.com/SU6uWDrClH
— Press Release Watch (@PrReleaseWatch) November 2, 2014

Kochi: Police detains activists participating in 'Kiss of Love' campaign pic.twitter.com/Oy7W9AR3FI
— ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2014

Nearly 50 organisers of 'Kiss of Love'protest were taken into preventive custody by the police even before the event began.
The police said that the protesters were taken into preventive custody for disturbing law and order.
The organisers had asked couples to assemble at Marine Drive in Kochi at 5 pm today and express their love for each other by kissing to raise awareness against moral policing in Kerala.

#KeralaKissDay : When government wants to control freedom to express love, kissing is revolution! #KissOfLove pic.twitter.com/e5WBrXTJ6D
— Press Release Watch (@PrReleaseWatch) November 2, 2014

. @StirredOrShaken Delhi HC judgment by Muralidhar J says kissing in public is legal. @gautambhatia88 pls send it to them? @kavita_krishnan
— Karuna Nundy (@karunanundy) November 2, 2014

#PrivateEquity firm #WarburgPincus invests Rs.1200 cr in #KalyanJewellers

#PrivateEquity firm #WarburgPincus invests Rs.1200 cr in #KalyanJewellers pic.twitter.com/BSTibSmo53
— Press Release Watch (@PrReleaseWatch) October 20, 2014

Kalyan Jewellers has raised Rs 1,200 crore from Private Equity firm Warburg Pincus. The investment is said to be the largest Private Equity investment in the Jewellery manufacturing and distribution industry in the Country so far.
The company is eyeing Rs. 25000 crores as revenue and plans to foray into new markets like Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore and Malaysia. Currently it has six exclusive outlets in United Arab Emirates. T S Kalyanaraman, Chairman and Managing Director, Kalyan Jewellers  said, 'We look forward to working with Warburg Pincus as we continue to build on our foundation and move onto our next phase of growth.' Founded in 1993 and Headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala, Kalyan Jewellers is the flagship of 100-year old Kalyan Group which was started with textile manufacturing and retailing business. The company has set an ambitious target of 100 showrooms by 2016.

8th edition of the Kerala Travel Mart from 18-20 Sep.2014

The eighth edition of the Kerala Travel Mart(KTM) 2014 will be held at the Samudrika Convention Centre,Willingdon Island,KOCHI(Cochin),Kerala from 18-20 Sep 2014.The mega event is India's largest Tourism Buyer-Seller Mart and is hosted by The Dept of Tourism,Govt of Kerala and the Kerala Travel Mart Society. 242 International Buyers and 750 Domestic Buyers have confirmed their participation in the event so far.

8th edition of the Kerala Travel Mart from18-20 Sep.2014 pic.twitter.com/Pta5aHW3jv
— Press Release Watch (@PrReleaseWatch) September 14, 2014

Tour Operators,Resorts,Hotels,Homestays,Houseboats,Ayurveda Health/Wellness Centres will showcase their products at the mart.The Chief Minister Shri Oomen Chandy will be inaugurating the extravaganza at the Le Meridien Convention Centre, Kochi on 17 Sep.

River linking only after consulting the concerned states governments

 The Union Government is pursuing the inter-linking of the rivers programme in a consultative manner with the States concerned and in accordance with the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter.

This was stated by Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s allocation of Rs.100 crore in the Union Budget for interlinking of rivers has raised concerns in Kerala over the impact of the Pampa-Achencoil-Vaipar Link Project (PAVLP).

The proposed diversion of 634 million cubic metres of water from the Pampa and Achencoil rivers in Kerala to irrigate the Vaipar river basin in Tamil Nadu is fraught with long-term consequences for the water security of the Central Travancore region, the ecology of the Vembanad wetland system, and the sustainability of paddy farming in Kuttanad. In 2003, the Kerala Assembly had passed a unanimous resolution urging the Centre to drop the PAVLP, terming it harmful to the State.

Five Peninsular links namely (i) Ken – Betwa, (ii) Parbati – Kalisindh – Chambal, (iii) Damanganga – Pinjal, (iv) Par – Tapi – Narmada & (v) Godavari (Polavaram) - Krishna (Vijayawada) have been identified as priority links for preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).

Students arrested for publishing anti-Narendra Modi puzzle in college magazine

Nine students of the Sree Krishna college in Kerala were on Sunday arrested in the case pertaining to their campus magazine containing unsavoury remarks against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi , police said. Police also raided the polytechnic college and seized 392 copies of the magazine, a computer and hard discs of the designers of the magazine.

Nine students in Kerala arrested for publishing anti-Narendra Modi puzzle in college magazine
— NDTV (@ndtv) June 15, 2014

#Swiss-hotel chain Moevenpick to open a new hotel in #Kochi

A new 167-room hotel in the southern port city of Kochi will increase Moevenpick Hotels & Resorts'' portfolio in India to three properties. The upscale hotel company of Swiss heritage presently operates Moevenpick Hotel Bangalore and has already announced plans for a spa resort in Dharamshala.


Moevenpick Hotel Kochi, a contemporary hotel with futuristic design elements, is strategically located on the national highway bypass road around six kilometres from the city centre and 25 kilometres from Cochin International Airport. Among the six outlets are a speciality Keralite restaurant and a Pan-Asian dining venue, as well as a sky lounge bar and a modern pub. The hotel is scheduled to open towards the end of 2014.


Business facilities include an executive club lounge, complemented by meeting rooms and a banquet hall for 500 guests. Along with a trendy swimming pool area and health club, the landmark tower property will also be home to an impressive multi-level spa. An Ayurvedic treatment zone, yoga studio, reflexology chambers, hammam, whirlpool and salon will be highlights of the urban wellbeing destination.


Andreas Mattmüller, Chief Operating Officer of Moevenpick Hotels & Resorts for Middle East and Asia, underscored the significance of organic growth in the sub-continent for the company. "India has tremendous potential for further growth in the domestic and international travel segments. Last year, revenues from domestic tourism rose by 5% and that figure is expected to increase to 8% during 2014. Considering this along with the country's planned infrastructure developments, we're keen to continue expanding our existing portfolio in India by including additional key cities," he said.


The management agreement was signed with ITMA Hotels India Private Ltd, an associate company of Jomer Properties & Investments.


"This is our first hotel venture and choosing a partner with a proven track record was an important decision. We're delighted to conclude this agreement and look forward to having the property managed as a Moevenpick hotel, with the associated advantages of global distribution reach and international brand recognition," said Jose Mathew, owner of Jomer Properties & Investments.


Moevenpick entered India in 2011 with the opening of Moevenpick Hotel Bangalore, a contemporary business destination with several leisure, dining and entertainment facilities. The company also plans to open Moevenpick Dharamshala Resort & Spa, an exclusive 124-room resort in the Northern Indian Kangra Valley.

#ASUS launches its 1st Exclusive Store in Trivandrum, #Kerala

ASUS, a leading brand,driven by the strength of mastering technological innovation and design perfection for the ultimate life-enhancing and computing experience,today,announced the launch of its first exclusive store Trivandrum, Kerala.The new outlet will feature the entire range of Touch notebooks, Ultrabooks, Tablets, Phablets and Notebooks including the recently launched products which have been launched in India till date. The ASUS Exclusive Store - Logtech InfowayPvt ltd is located at TC-2/209(8), Ebenezer Building, Opp. ChaithanyaEye  Hospital ,Kesavadaspuram, Pattom PO,Trivandrum – 695033.

ASUS is further strengthening its presence in Kerala with the launch of its first exclusive retail store in Trivandrum.The retail store,LogtechInfowayis the 4th exclusive store in the state after the launch of storesin Kochi, Kottayam and Kannur. The store would assist ASUSin reaching out to its customers and to enable them to have access to all the latest and forthcoming technologies.The company already has stores in New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Calicut, Goa, Thane, Raipur, Bhillai, Gurgaon, Durgapur, Kanpur, Cochin, Kolhapur, Noida, Amravati, Kottayam, Lucknow, Jaipur, Mysore, Guwahati, Dehradun, Belgaum, Hubli, Anand, Warangal, Kannur, Coimbatore, Burdwan, Imphal, Agartala, Ludhiana, Nashik, Siliguri, Nagaland, Shillong, Bangalore, Patna, Vijaywada, Vizag,  Ananthpur, Rajkot, Junagadh, Ahmednagar, Hyderabad, Udaipur, Thanjavur, Karnal, Pune, Bhusawal , Vadodara, Mizoram,Ranchi and Bhopal.

Speaking on the occasion,Mr. Arindam Saha,Head Marketing Communication, System Business Group ASUS India said,“Trivandrum was an inevitable choice to further augment our presence in Kerala as it contributes 80% of the state's software exports and is the major IT hub of the state. Venturing in the capital of the state would assist us to reach out to greater target audience and to avail them with the ultimate life changing experiences. This exclusive store opening is the testament of our state wise focus and the significance of Kerala as a market for existing and imminent technology.”

The new store will have the company's entire range of Touch notebooks, Ultrabooks, Tablets, Phablets, 11” – 15” Notebooks and Hybrid devices (2-in-1 & 3-in-1 devices) viz. the Transformer Series. Users can look for Phablets, Gaming notebooks, multimedia notebooks, and different innovative devices as per their requirements at varied prices.ASUS has recently lauched its Fonepad 7 dual sim which is a brilliant 7-inch tablet with a HD 1280x800 IPS display and slots for two SIM cards. Furthermore, users can have ultimate experience with ASUS Transformer Book T100where excellence is never out of reach and entertainment is never out of focus. ASUS Transformer Book T100 is an extremely compact ultraportable for people who want the productivity features of a laptop with the easy portability of a tablet — and the flexibility to switch between the two in an instant. Running on Windows 8.1, T100 comes with preinstalled Microsoft office 2013 Home & Student.

NHPC Ltd and Govt. of Kerala to set up solar power project in KIollam

NHPC Limited and Kerala State Electricity Board Limited (KSEB) signed an agreement for Development of Solar Power Projects by NHPC Limited in Kerala on 08th May 2014 at Thiruvananthapuram.
The agreement was signed by Sh. Kanwar Singh, Executive Director (Consultancy & Joint Venture), NHPC and Smt. K. Valsala Kumari, Chief Engineer, Corporate Planning & Safety Commissioner, KSEB in the gracious presence of Sh. Aryadan Mohammed, Hon’ble Power Minister,Govt. of  Kerala, Sh. M. Sivasankaran, CMD, KSEB and other senior officers of NHPC and Govt. of Kerala.
In the first phase under this agreement, NHPC shall take up implementation of  50 MW grid linked solar power project at West Kallada Panchayat in Kollam District of Kerala.

Hilton Worldwide to enter Kerala with Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum

Hilton Worldwide announced that it will introduce the Hilton Garden Inn brand in Kerala with the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum on December 27, 2013.  Hilton Garden Inn is an award-winning brand of upscale yet affordable hotels.  Strategically located in the city centre on Punnen Road, Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum is near prime government institutions and commercial establishments, a 20-minute drive from the airport and 12 kilometres from the IT Technopark at Kazhakkottam

“The opening of Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum will be a significant step in Hilton Worldwide’s expansion into prime city centre locations across India,” said Guy Hutchinson, vice president, operations – India, Hilton Worldwide. “India is a key strategic market for Hilton Worldwide.  Presently, we operate hotels and resorts in Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Chennai, Vadodara, Pune, Goa, Shillim and now Trivandrum.  Over the next eight to 10 months, we anticipate extending our portfolio to include Bangalore, Agra and Jaipur.”

Owned by Muthoot Hotels & Infrastructure Ventures (P) Ltd. and managed by Hilton Worldwide, Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum features 134 guest rooms and suites, Garden Grille all-day restaurant, a bar, outdoor swimming pool, Precor™ certified 24-hour fitness centre and 2,600 square feet of conference and events space that can accommodate up to 450 people.  Guests at the hotel will also be able to enjoy the Hilton Garden Inn brand’s signature offerings that include complimentary internet access throughout the hotel, 24-hour business centre services, remote printing facility and the 24-hour Pavilion Pantry™ convenience mart.

Adrian Kurre, global head, Hilton Garden Inn said, “We are pleased with this opportunity to extend the brand’s presence in India.  Hilton Garden Inn has set the standard in the mid-market sector offering an award-winning combination of best-in-class customer service and affordable comfort and convenience.  We are confident that Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum will fast become the first choice of travellers seeking upscale and affordable accommodation in the city.”

"The Muthoot Pappachan Group is delighted to partner with Hilton Worldwide, a global leader in the hospitality industry, for its foray into Trivandrum and the introduction of the Hilton Garden Inn brand in Kerala and Trivandrum.  With the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum, we look forward to providing world-class international standards of hospitality in Kerala”, said Thomas John Muthoot, chairman and managing director, Muthoot Pappachan Group.  “The Muthoot Pappachan Group is a leading hospitality development firm in India.  The group owns operating hotels and is developing additional properties.  We look forward to working with our partners and ensuring our company’s continued growth.”

Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum will participate in Hilton HHonors, the only guest rewards programme that allows members to earn Points & Miles for the same stay and redeem points for free nights with No Blackout Dates at over 4,000 hotels worldwide.

Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum is located on Punnen Road, Trivandrum - 695039, Kerala, India.  For more information or to make reservations, dial +91-471-6600000 or visit www.trivandrum.HGI.com.



Hilton Worldwide currently operates the following hotels and resorts in India - New Delhi: Hilton Garden Inn New Delhi/Saket and Hilton New Delhi/Janakpuri;  Gurgaon: Hilton Garden Inn Gurgaon Baani Square and DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR; Vadodara: Hampton by Hilton Vadodara-Alkapuri; Mumbai: Hilton Mumbai International Airport; Pune: DoubleTree by Hilton Pune-Chinchwad;  Shillim:  Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa; Goa: DoubleTree by Hilton Goa-Arpora-Baga; Chennai: Hilton Chennai; and Trivandrum:  Hilton Garden Inn Trivandrum.

About Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn is the award-winning, upscale, yet affordable hotel brand that continually strives to ensure today’s busy travellers have everything they need to be most productive on the road — from our oh-so-comfortable Garden Sleep System™ bed to complimentary wired and Wi-Fi Internet access in all guestrooms. So whether on the road for personal or business reasons, Hilton Garden Inn offers the amenities and services for travellers to sleep deep, stay fit, eat well and work smart while away from home. For more information about our locations around the globe, visit www.hgi.com