Minister takes to the skies; Mohammed Riyas goes paragliding in Vagamon| video

IDUKKI: Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas took to the skies in Vagamon, experiencing paragliding as part of efforts to promote adventure tourism in the region. Sharing his experience on Facebook, the minister revealed that he flew at an altitude of 3,500 feet, accompanied by a professional trainer. A video of the flight was also shared on his social media page.

Paragliding at the Adventure Park in Vagamon's Kolahalamedu has already gained attention. The international paragliding competition, with participants from 11 foreign countries, had already attracted many tourists. The minister’s paragliding experience coincided with his visit to the competition’s closing ceremony.

The international paragliding competition, jointly organized by the State Tourism Department and the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society, started on Wednesday at Vagamon Adventure Park. The event runs until the 23rd. The competition is held in six categories, with 49 participants from 11 foreign countries, including 15 international players. The site, located 3,000 feet above sea level and covering a 10-kilometer distance, is also suitable for landing.

With favourable weather conditions, visitors from different parts of India are arriving to witness the paragliding event. The festival aims to showcase Vagamon’s paragliding potential on an international level and to present Kerala as a global destination for adventure tourism. The competition offers cash prizes: ₹1,50,000 for first place, ₹1,00,000 for second place, and ₹50,000 for third place.