THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister P A Mohammad Riyaz in a press meet convened said the aim of the government is to promote domestic tourism as foreign tourists are not likely to visit the state due to the fear of Covid and those who have received at least one dose of the vaccine would be allowed to visit tourist destinations.

‘In the tourism sector alone, due to Covid, a loss of Rs 3,300 crore was suffered from March to December 2020 alone. Through this, the decline in foreign exchange reserves is Rs 7,000 crore. If 13 crore domestic tourists had reached Kerala in 2016, it dropped to 45 lakh in 2020,’ the minister said.

The minister said considering Covid situation, this year's Onam celebrations will be made online by the department of tourism with the idea of a global Onapookkalam and an online Onapookkalam competition will be organized for the Malayalees all over the world. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the online pookkalam competition on August 14.

The registration of the competition will start from August 10 on the tourism website and separate prizes will be given to those inside and outside Kerala, he said.