Kerala State Tourism Department has announced a one-time financial aid to houseboats and tourist guides who have lost their jobs and business due to COVID-19 related lock down and travel restriction imposed globally since March 2020. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala in a media conference said that the Special assistance scheme of the State Tourism Department is to protect the stagnant houseboat sector in the context of COVID 19 and to assist tourist guides.
Kadakampally Surendran said that the state tourism department will provide a one-time financial assistance of Rs 10,000 for each tourist guide. It will benefit 251 tourist guides operating in the state with the approval of the Kerala Tourism Department and 77 tourist guides approved by India Tourism. A total of 328 tourist guides will be assisted, the minister said. The Government has given the administrative sanction of `32,80,000.00 for this. This benefit is available to regional, local, and state-level guides working with the approval of the Central and State Governments in the State.
