Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 2 (PTI): The coastal town of Thalassery in north Kerala has been brought under a heritage tourism project by the state Government with an outlay of Rs 198 crore. The project was approved by the state cabinet today, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan told reporters. Known as the town of three Cs--cricket, cakes and circus-- Thalassery in Kannur distict was one of the early settlements of the British in India, where they built a fort in the 17th century. Earlier known as Tellicherry,the town still has several imprints left by the colonial rule to attract tourists. The town is also associated with battles waged by native ruler Pazhassiraja against the British. Cradle of Indian circus, the town and the surrounding areas had produced a large number of circus artistes and also is home of the legendary martial art trainer Keeleri Kunhikkannan,hailed as father of modern circus in India. German Missionary and lexicographer Herman Gundert lived many years in a bungalow at Illikunnu near Thalassery, from where he compiled the first and still authentic Malayalam Lexicon. According to records, the first mdoern bakery in Kerala was set up in Thalassery by native butlers who learnt the art of European confectionary from the British officials they served. The rural areas around the town are famed for folk arts like Theyaam and Thira, performed in local shrines.

World premiere of Kerala Tourism film in London -Tuesday

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 18 (IANS) Kerala Tourism will launch its global advertising campaign, 'Your Moment Is Waiting', at a red carpet event Tuesday (Sep 21) at the Saatchi Gallery in London to a select gathering of glitterati, literati and business leaders. Conceived by Stark Communications, the brand agency of Kerala Tourism, and directed by Prakash Varma, the campaign aims to make Kerala a must visit destination for travellers around the world. The campaign, filmed in key locations in and around Thekkady, Alappuzha, Munnar, Thalassery and Kannur in northern Kerala, features upcoming model Miriam Ilorah. Kerala Tourism Secretary V.Venu said the campaign was unlike any other tourism campaign. 'The film is cinematic in style, sophisticated and highly emotive. It is not the traditional slide-show of pretty pictures of places and people. We are reaching out to our global target audience of experience seekers. We know that the film will resonate and influence how they think about Kerala as a holiday destination,' said Venu. The campaign would run in all of Kerala Tourism's major markets around the world from October 2010 until mid-2011. ' 'Your Moment is Waiting' will hit video sharing website YouTube in the UK, France and Germany, targeting nearly 50 million viewers,' Venu said. 'The UK being our main source market, Kerala attracts a lot of travelers from that country, and we feel that it would make great sense to reach out to this loyal and growing market by premiering the film in London,' added Venu. Chairman of Stark Communications T.K. Harshan said, 'The film goes far beyond the realm of a commercial to capture the soul of Kerala.' Kerala's growth in tourism has been phenomenal and dramatic. A decade ago, this small southern state, though awash with scenic grandeur, was virtually unknown in the international tourism scene. Today, it is a globally acclaimed tourist destination, voted as 'One of the Ten Paradises in the World' by the National Geographic Traveller in 2000.