THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — Kerala’s first adventure tourism academy and park is finally set to open at Sasthampara, a scenic and emerging destination just 14 kilometres from the state capital. Known for its sweeping views of Thiruvananthapuram, Sasthampara is quickly gaining traction as a sought-after tourist spot.
After nearly six years of delays, the Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS) has issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) to develop, operate, and maintain the adventure park and training facility. The project will cover 4.85 hectares of government-owned land, with a minimum expected investment of ₹10 crore over a 20-year lease period.
According to an official from the state tourism department, partial operations are expected to begin later this year. “We’ve received encouraging responses from both local and out-of-state stakeholders. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for Monday, and the financial bids will be opened on April 30,” the official said.
The adventure park will feature a wide array of activities. Planned offerings include bungee jumping, camping with options such as glamping and dome tents, ziplining, zip cycling, trampolining, bouldering, traverse wall climbing, a mountain biking challenge track, obstacle courses, slacklining, and other soft adventure experiences.
Currently, Kerala has around 100 adventure parks, most of which rely on a workforce from outside the state. The new training centre aims to change this by providing professional instruction to local youth, enabling more residents to participate in the fast-growing adventure tourism sector.
“There’s strong interest in adventure tourism among young people in Kerala, but professional training opportunities are limited,” the official noted. “Some institutes in India offer short-term programs, but these are not enough. In the past, we ran short-term courses in collaboration with the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS), and they received an excellent response.”
Project delays stemmed primarily from funding issues. Initially, the park was to be financed through government allocations. However, the finance department rejected this model, citing concerns about long-term sustainability with a one-time investment. The project was eventually restructured under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to ensure operational and financial viability.
With infrastructure now moving forward, the Sasthampara adventure park is expected to play a key role in positioning Kerala as a serious player in the adventure tourism space, while also generating local employment and skill development.