The forthcoming ninth edition of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF) will be integrated with Kerala Tourism’s Visit Kerala 2015 to convert the shopping fete into a mega mela.
Steps for making shopping an integral part of sightseeing for tourists arriving in the State and innovative schemes for attracting shoppers will be the highlight of this edition of the fete, Minister for Tourism A.P. Anil Kumar has said.
Discount cards that will benefit domestic and foreign tourists alike will be a big attraction. Tour operators from within the country and outside and traders will join hands for these innovative discount cards.
Trade fairs will be held during Onam for marketing local produce and Kudumbasree products.
A Kerala festival in Dubai is also being planned.
Those coming forward to distribute 10 lakh or more lucky coupons will be offered trade partner status. Prizes to the tune of Rs.25 crore will be given to lucky shoppers.
An online portal for helping traders, advance booking, and ‘Shop to home’ and other innovative schemes have been worked out.
In order to promote handicrafts of the State and market the handicrafts of other States, a handicraft fair on the lines of Surajkund will be organised by Kerala Tourism at the Iringal crafts village near Vadakara.
Buyer-seller meet, trade fairs in municipalities and corporations with the assistance of local bodies, and programmes to promote local products with the participation of educational institutions and homemakers have been worked out. The schemes have been approved by the executive committee.
