Since domestic tourism is the buzzword these days, Destination Challenge rolled out by the Tourism Department to promote sites off the tourist trail is garnering great response.
LSGs across the State have identified an array of destinations beyond the usual hotspots and the Department has received around 150 solid applications within a short span of time.
While Thrissur district has come up with 25 destinations, Malappuram has 19 and Idukki has 16 spots with untapped potential. From the projects received, a State-level committee will shortlist the best and at present the process is progressing. While local bodies can come up with projects with varying budgets, Tourism Department will provide 60% (maximum 50 lakh) of the total project cost. Many local bodies have submitted multiple projects and the major criteria for selecting destinations include connectivity, eco-friendliness and sustainability.