Kannur airport opening boosts business activities

TRIVANDRUM: The opening of a brand new airport in northern Kerala city of Kannur has triggered a lot of business activities in the region, especially in the hospitality sector.

Only two airlines, Air India Express AND GOAIR, ARE Currently lying Into THE Kannur International Airport now.

The authorities expect an increase in THE Frequency of lights By next month when more airlines get the landing permit.

But there’s an acute shortage of hotel rooms not only for the passengers and the crew but tourists expected to arrive in hordes in the region, listed as one of the must-visit places in the world by Lonely Planet last year.

NRI tycoon Yusuffali MA, who is also a director of the airport company, had announced a 150-room Hyatt, a mini-convention centre and his Lulu

supermarket chain while a host of small AND BIG Hotels AND malls ARE In THE offing.

The local village council has cleared some 400 new construction projects, mostly residential and cargo buildings, and applications for another 80 are under consideration.

They include hotels, convention centres, supermarkets and cargo complexes. Two supermarkets and two 3-star hotels are ready for opening.

“There’s an acute shortage of hotel rooms now. So we are fast-tracking the process,” said M Rajan, president of the Keezhallur village council.

“To meet the immediate demand, we have arranged some 60 houses on lease for employees of the airport and airlines.”

A dozen international airlines are expecting federal nod, and the oncesleepy village is abuzz about its business prospects when the airport goes fully operational.

“There was already a 20 per cent jump in our tax revenue, and we expect it to Grow multifold. WE ARE GOING to BE THE richest village council in Kerala,” he said.

“The residents will get dividends For their sacrifices, including land and homes.”

An air-conditioned godown offering storage facility for perishable goods is coming up here targeting the Gulf market, besides three state-run industrial parks.

The Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC), the state’s agency assigned to develop tourism infrastructure in the airport’s catchment area, is concentrating on developing homestays.

It last week conducted a three-day SMiLE (Small and Medium Industries Leveraging Experiential (SMiLE) programme introducing 93 tourism entrepreneurs in the north Malabar region to a team of 40-nation tour operators.