Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Wednesday inaugurated a Rs 25-crore project for the restoration of the heritage Mascot Hotel here, coinciding with the celebrations of 100 years of the hospitality pioneer.
The project, drawn up by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), was undertaken close on the heels of the the hotel bagging the five-star status.
Also, Vijayan unveiled a plaque to mark the historic occasion and opened a month-long exhibition that depicts the 100 years of service in the hospitality sector of the state.
In his presidential address, Tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran said Mascot has got the distinction of being the first five-star hotel in the public sector.
Recalling the history of the hotel, he noted that the hotel map published by the Bombay-based Indian Hotel Company in 1937 reveals Mascot as one among the four hotels listed from South India. In 1965, it came under the KTDC.
The Minister underscored the need for quality service and new marketing strategies to compete with private players in the hospitality industry.
The government has already accorded administrative sanction of Rs 5 crore for the project.
Originally, an accommodation unit for officers of the Royal British Army during the First World War (1914-1918) during the reign of the Kingdom of Travancore, Mascot has passed through a long history while emerging as the premium brand in Keralas hospitality sector.
The hotel has several distinguished guests, including national leaders, diplomats, foreign dignitaries, writers and captains of industry.