Kerala state Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Thursday said that the state government is aiming to create five lakh job opportunities in the tourism sector in the coming three years.

He was speaking at the launch of the Kerala Tourism HR portal of the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS), in Thiruvananthapuram.

According to a report by the Times of India, the minister said, “The HR portal – www.tourismcarriers,in – has been launched to link and bring both employers and job aspirants in tourism and hospitality industries under one umbrella. The government has been able to overcome the recent recession in tourism sector through novel ideas and projects.”

“New tourism destinations are being developed. Kerala’s tourism, which was concentrated in south and central districts in the past, is now gaining a foothold in Malabar region through new projects. Measures are being taken to develop all main tourism destinations from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram,” said Surendran.

The minister also announced that the Jatayapura Earth Center, which also happens to feature the largest bird sculpture in the world, at Chadayamangalam in Kollam district will be open to the public from August 17 onwards.

He said that the government will be marketing other products, including Monsoon music festival, Nishagandhi dance festival and Onam celebrations both at domestic and international source markets.

The LDF government under the leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been vocal about the creation of job opportunities for the people of the state.

According to a report by The Financial Express in April this year, The Kerala CM is reported to have said that almost 77,569 people were given jobs in the state after the LDF government came to power in Kerala.