Kerala Tourism revamps its strategy to woo travellers with new projects and events

Chennai, Feb. 16: Buoyed by a clutch of global awards and accolades, Kerala Tourism will unleash a raft of new projects and events that will turn the state into an all-season destination and make the stay of new-age travellers a relaxing, rejuvenating and learning experience by unfolding before them the captivating charm of rural hinterland and lesser-known places.

Kerala Tourism Principal Secretary Shri K S Srinivas

For Kerala Tourism, 2022 was a year of remarkable achievements and inspiring global and national honours.

TIME magazine featured Kerala as one of the ‘50 Extraordinary Destinations to explore in 2022’. Conde Nast Traveller recognized Kerala’s ‘Aymanam village’ as one among 30 best places to visit in 2022, the state was chosen by Travel & Leisure magazine for the ‘Global Vision Award’. The state was also voted as the ‘Best Wedding Destination’ by readers of Travel Plus Leisure.

Commenting on the marketing campaigns, Tourism Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas said, the focus will no longer be confined to beaches, backwaters and hill stations. “We now want to transform the whole of Kerala into an interconnected tourist haven, where visitors get plenty of choices and diverse experiences. All this will make a trip to Kerala, a wholesome experience for visitors looking for diverse experiences - be it a stay in a houseboat or a caravan, ecologically responsible adventure activities or visits to heritage and cultural centres.”   

“A series of marketing activities has been planned as part of a concerted strategy to promote Kerala as a global wedding destination and a paradise for honeymooners” he added.

Kerala Tourism Principal Secretary Shri K S Srinivas said last year was a year of gain and achievements for tourism sector in the state, especially after being battered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Kerala’s houseboats, caravan stays, jungle lodges, plantation visits, homestays, Ayurveda-based wellness solutions, countryside walks and adventure activities, including trekking to verdant hills, will be a real feast providing a unique experience to visitors,” he added.

“Our efforts are geared towards facilitating tourists to visit unexplored places that dot our scenic state,” he said. 

Kerala Tourism Director Shri P B Nooh said, we have made elaborate plans to give an effective thrust to showcase Kerala’s new projects like Caravan Tourism - “Keravan Kerala”, as well as its core assets like beaches, hill stations, houseboats and backwater segment to heighten the totality of visitor experience."

“Our new initiatives to promote tourism are in tune with ecological imperatives and sustainability”, he added.

Kerala set an all-time record in domestic tourist footfalls in last year. The state hosted 1.33 crore tourists in the first three quarters of the year. Significantly, this marked an increase of 1.94 per cent from the pre-pandemic year. 

Last year, the STREET project, a part of the state’s storied Responsible Tourism initiative, bagged the global award at World Travel Market (WTM), London. Besides, India Today ranked Kerala as the topmost performer in tourism in the ‘big states’ category.

The ongoing December 2022-April 2023 Kochi-Muziris Biennale is getting stupendous response from connoisseurs of art as well as tourists from across the world. Initiatives like ‘Nishagandhi Festival’ will feature artistes from across the country performing various traditional artforms.

The first phase of the B2B partnership meets held in Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur & Lucknow earlier in January and Ahmedabad earlier this week, had a highly encouraging response from the industry, which is to be followed by a string of travel trade networking activities, including participation in trade fairs and organizing B2B roadshows.

Kerala Tourism had a grandeur presence, showcasing the unique touristy features of the state, in the just concluded, OTM (Outbound Travel Market) Mumbai and at the South Asian Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE), New Delhi.

Besides, Kerala Tourism will organize another series of B2B trade meets in Hyderabad and Bengaluru in February.

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