Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Tourism Development Corporation Thursday launched Premium Life Membership and Institutional Membership cards for individuals and institutions, offering seven nights' free stay a year in any of its hotels.
State finance minister T M Thomas Isaac inaugurated the scheme, which also offers substantial discounts on all facilities including food and beverages, in the presence of tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran, at a function here.
The inaugural Premium Life Membership Card was handed over to Siddeek Ahmed, chairman and managing director, Eram Group, by Surendran.
"This is a novel scheme which will help KTDC achieve self-reliance and it also comes as a good model for other public sector undertakings in Kerala," Isaac said.
"The most ideal feature of KTDC properties is that they guarantee a homely feel for the visitors coming to stay at them," Surenderan said.
He also said administrative sanction had been given to a large number of tourism projects across the state, including Rs 125 crore worth of schemes in Thiruvananthapuram.
KTDC chairman M Vijayakumar said as the flag-bearer of tourism in the state, the corporation has formulated various new schemes to tap the huge potential of the sector.
Elaborating on the scheme, KTDC managing director Rahul R said the fee for premium life-long membership ,'KTDC Elite Ensemble', is fixed at Rs 10 lakh and that of the institutional membership, 'KTDC Corporate Collective', at Rs 15 lakh for three years, both inclusive of taxes.
This membership has single transferability to the spouse at the member's death.
Institutional members can hold their membership for a period of three years from the date of registering. The institutional membership is non-transferable.
Tourism secretary Rani George and Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATA) vice-president, E M Najeeb was among those present.
