Shanghumughom gets ready to become a destination wedding locale

Kerala's 1st public-sector wedding destination on Shanghumughom beach, Thiruvananthapuram, to host 1st wedding Nov 30. Features incl. cafeteria, work space, beach canopy tent, meeting area lounge, play zone. Services incl. transp., hotel, activities, excursions, conf. venues, themed events. Society to spend ₹2 cr, operate 10 yrs, then transfer to govt. Kerala Tourism promotes State as ideal wedding destination.

The maiden wedding destination in the public sector in Kerala set up on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model on the Shanghumughom beach in Thiruvananthapuram is all set to host the first wedding on November 30.

The Trivandrum District Cooperative Tourism Development Society, which has been awarded the work to develop the beach as a wedding destination locale with international standards, has almost completed the civil works.

U.N. Shameer, one of the directors of the society, told The Hindu that though weddings would be held at the destination from this month end, the society planned to provide nightlife facilities as well for the visitors and it would take at least two months to complete the remaining works.

A cafeteria where customers can choose the dishes from an open counter, a work space for visitors, a beach canopy tent for beach glamping that conforms to international safety standards but can be be dismantled easily, a meeting area lounge, and a dedicated play zone for children are some of the highlights of the destination.

Transportation, hotel accommodation, activities, excursion, arranging conference venues, and organising themed events and gala dinners will be among the services on offer. Guests can choose the destination event management services at preferential rates. The ultimate objective of the project was to provide a panoramic view of the beach venue in order to create a perfect ambience for an intimate wedding, said Mr. Shameer.

The society will spend around ₹2 crore on the site as part of the project and operate the facility for 10 years and later transfer it to the government.  Last year, Kerala Tourism organised a publicity campaign at airports and social media platforms to promote the State as an ideal tourism destination with focus on promoting the State as a preferred wedding destination.