Thiruvananthapuram: There has been widespread appreciation in Kerala of the United Arab Emirates’ decision to open its consular office in the state capital, with scores of social media posts applauding the move.

The plan for a UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram had been in the making for a few years.

The UAE’s other consulate office in India nearest to the southern states is in Mumbai.

Now that the dream of a consulate in Kerala is being realised, Keralites are hoping that more countries from the Middle East will follow UAE’s lead.

There are an estimated two million Keralites in the Gulf region, with a significant number in the UAE itself, and the new consulate will be a boon for hundreds of thousands of Keralites working or doing business in the UAE.

The building for the consulate office has been identified and early reports indicate that it will be a full-fledged office offering all consular services. It has also been reported that at a later stage the UAE government would be keen to establish its consulate on land allotted to it by the state government.

The new consulate will be a boon not only for Keralites, but also to those from the neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states who are living and working in the UAE. Many of those from these two states who live in the border districts of Kerala will find it more convenient to travel to Thiruvananthapuram than Mumbai for services like attestation.

Tourism and the medical tourism segment are also tipped to be significant winners once the consulate services are in full swing.

The plan for a UAE consulate in Kerala had been mooted in 2011, but it could be realised only four years later. Kerala also hosts the consulates of Russia, Sri Lanka and Maldives.