THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India biggest and iconic superstar, Amitabh Bachchan has agreed to become the brand ambassador for Kerala Tourism.

The actor was responding to a request put forward by Kerala's Tourism minister, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. In a letter to the minister, Bachchan, said that it would be an honour to be the brand ambassador for a state as beautiful as Kerala.

Kerala, one of the global hotspots for tourism, has recently seen a downturn in the flow of tourists to the state following global recession and more recently, the Thekkady boat tragedy in which over 40 people drowned after their boat capsized. The incident highlighted the poor safety norms followed by the boating sector in the state, which is also one of the mainstays of the tourism industry.

The tourism industry is biggest source of revenue for the state. With the roping in of Amitabh Bachchan, an actor whose fame straddles continents, as a brand ambassador the Tourism ministry has given the industry a much-needed boost and an image makeover.

Hopefully the Bachchan magic would work wonders for the state.