God’s own country gets a boost in Mumbai

One of the fastest growing tourist destinations, Kerala organised a roadshow in Mumbai on Monday for tourist operators from across the country. The Kerala Tourism Department has now selling new areas like the Malabar region, consisting of five districts, namely Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode and Malappuram, which should be on every traveller’s must-see list.

From serene beaches, beautiful backwaters, hill stations, temples and mosques to adventure sports and rare wildlife, these regions have it all. “The beaches of northern Kerala are very different, because they are very open. South Kerala is densely populated as compared to the north. Therefore, travelling in northern Kerala is an experience of its own,” said Sanjay Kaul, director of tourism.



“The year 2006 clocked a record 4.28 lakh international tourists. We witnessed a growth of 23.68 per cent over the previous year. Also, about 62 lakh domestic tourists visited the state - the number was 5.47 per cent more than last year,” he added.



Kerala’s total earnings from tourism reached Rs9,000 crore, with the sector employing approximately 10 lakh people across the state.



Sustained growth in the number of international and domestic tourists visiting Kerala is a reflection of the innovative 360 degree approach towards all aspects concerning tourism. Infrastructure development, high potential-high yield markets, showcasing untapped tourist areas, training frontline people, and launching planned strategic marketing campaigns are some of the important initiatives that have helped Kerala evolve as the most preferred destination for the discerning traveller.



On the anvil is the multimedia launch of www.dreamseason.keralatourism.org, a micro-website, within the main website of Kerala tourism, aimed at building traffic specially from April to September. The website will post attractive holiday packages designed by tour operators and hoteliers. “This id the period (April to September) when Indian travellers go on vacations and hence there will be a range of discounts for them,” added Kaul.



To further consolidate its international market, Kaul and Venu V, secretary of tourism had also organised a roadshow in Paris in association with India Tourism.

The roadshow gave further impetus to the fast growing number of tourists from France, which has been recognised as one of the top three outbound markets of the world.



As part of the department’s marketing plan, roadshows are being organised in Delhi, Ahmedabad and other major metros, to create awareness about Kerala as a holiday destination and for its tourism products. The shows also are an excellent platform for Kerala tour operators to network in their respective markets and provides them with an excellent opportunity to build new business relationships, while consolidating existing ones.

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