Shops and trade centres are gearing up for the second edition of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival beginning December 1.

Tourists from around the world are being lured to the State, not only for the wide variety of consumer durables available, but also for the events that take place in God’s Own Country during the 45-day period of the festival. Kerala offers a unique experience to shoppers with its serene beaches, lush hill stations, sprawling plantations, exotic wildlife, and waterfalls.

The first ever shopping festival organised last year across the State proved to be a roaring success with both retail sales and visitor arrivals touching record highs, says director of the festival and Additional Director, Kerala Tourism, K. N. Satheesh.

An initiative of Kerala Tourism, the festival is aimed at attracting consumers by creating a festive mood and offering discounts and mega prizes for shoppers.

Besides promoting tourism and showcasing traditional products, the aim is to convert Kerala into a shopping destination on the lines of the Dubai and Singapore shopping festivals in the next five years.

This year, the festival is to be confined mostly to municipal corporations’ limits, municipalities and selected tourism centres such as Kovalam, Kumarakom and Thekkady.

Shopkeepers who do not fall in these areas will have to make their own arrangements for the fete.

Compared to the 2,195 shops that participated in the festival last year, the authorities are expecting the participation of around 5,000 shops this year. The registration of shops will begin on August 15.

The stakeholders of the tourism industry who did not participate in the festival in a big way last year are being roped in way this year. “The response so far is encouraging and we are trying to build up the hype,” Mr. Satheesh said.

Shoppers will get a lucky coupon for every purchase from the shops participating in the festival. The authorities have decided to give the main prizes in gold this year to avoid hassles while giving cars and villas as bumper prizes.

“As many as 40 kg of gold awaits the shoppers and this will be distributed through banks. In addition, Rs.2-crore prizes will be given as gifts through scratch-and-win,” the director said.

The State government has extended Rs.15 crore for the festival this year and another Rs.5 crore for infrastructure improvement.

The Chala market in the capital, Broadway in Ernakulam, S.M. Street in Kozhikode and a place in Kannur will be renovated with the funds.