New Delhi, July 16: Virgin group is likely to launch holiday packages for globe-trotters to Kerala from London shortly and bring them in charter flights of Virgin Atlantic, Minister of State for Tourism Vinod Khanna said today. Discussions between the officials of the civil aviation and tourism ministries of the two governments are at an advanced stage for starting the new chartered service to Kerala, he told reporters.

The minister said there was a need to focus and properly market various segments of tourism including spiritual, eco and ayurveda in overseas market for bringing in more foreign tourists. "Government will be initiating a slew of measures to boost these segments in a bid to tap the huge market," he said adding 'spiritual tourism' was a new segment which could be tapped to woo foreign tourists.

"Apart from this, I am planning to rope in Bollywood to boost tourism," he said.

"I have already received a good response from a few people in the film industry who are willing to work for boosting tourism," he said. At present, Virgin Atlantic operates its services twice a week between Delhi and London in code share arrangement with Air India. R
Bureau Report