TRIP2KERALA

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala’s Pattanam village, some 260km from here, where researchers recently excavated an ancient city, will soon be a major tourist attraction. Researchers stumbled on the port city four years ago and crucial evidence emerged during excavations last year solving the mystery of Muziris that appeared to have simply disappeared. The port city was key to trade between India and the Roman Empire. “We are planning a new product called Kerala Heritage Tourism centring on Pattanam and Kodungallur,” Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said. “We expect a large number of international visitors who are interested in ancient history and heritage here.” The tourism department has cleared a master plan for the heritage city preserving the excavated areas and making provisions for financial support. Fresh archaeological evidence has surfaced establishing trade links between the ancient city and many key centres around the world, both east and west, as far back as 500 BC. “Patta

The ministry of tourism's plans to create a 'second shopping season' for Kerala are going on in full swing. Onam was the first season and the ministry has chosen Malayala Manorama as partner for this initiative. The festival will begin on 1 December and go on till 15 January 2009. The festival is being coordinated jointly by the various state departments of tourism, industries and commerce, finance, local self-government and civil supplies, along with the traders and manufacturers in the state. The government of Kerala will pitch in with Rs20 crore for the activity. Junction K, the integrated media solution from the Manorama Group, is the media partner for the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF). Varghese Chandy, senior general manager, marketing operations, Malayala Manorama, said: ''The main objective is to develop a second shopping season in Kerala. It is the largest ever initiative of its kind. The vision of GKSF is to make Kerala an international shopping de