Kerala to launch all-India campaign to scale up domestic tourist footfalls in summer

Bengaluru, Jan 23: “As the summer holiday season is fast approaching, we will be unfolding new products before the domestic visitors by targeting school holidays and family audience,” said Tourism Minister  PA Mohamed Riyas.

This time round, the campaign will be particularly focusing on North Kerala, especially Bekal, Wayand and Kozhikode, besides lesser-known destinations with vastly improved infrastructure, the Minister said.

The campaign to showcase Kerala in its myriad hues is part of the innovative promotion strategy to enhance visibility for the destinations and unique tourism products the state has to offer while directly connecting with potential visitors from key source cities,  Riyas pointed out.

Among the new products that would attract the tourists are heli-tourism and the sea plane initiative, which will make destinations in the state closely connected and easily accessible, said  Biju K, Secretary – Tourism, Government of Kerala.

Alongside the new projects, the state’s core assets like beaches, hill stations, houseboats and backwater segment will heighten the totality of the visitors’ experience, Biju added.

Renowned for its pristine natural beauty, vibrant culture and rich heritage, Kerala will also offer to its visitors a brush with its cultural euphoria and literary events. The capital city will host the Nishagandhi Dance Festival from February 15 to 21 at the Kanakakkunnu Palace, where renowned dancers from all over India will present classical dance forms like Mohiniyattam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, and Manipuri, said Smt. Sikha Surendran, Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala.

Further, Kerala Literature Festival (KLF), a significant annual literary event, will be held at the Kozhikode Beach from January 23-26. The festival gathers a diverse group of writers, artists, actors, celebrities, thinkers and activists from various backgrounds, fostering connections between readers and writers. In its sixth edition, KLF featured over 400 speakers from more than 12 countries, engaging in around 200 sessions across five venues in Kozhikode city.

Combining luxury and leisure, Kerala is fast emerging as a preferred hub for Destination Weddings and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) events. Records show that more and more Indians and foreign nationals are visiting Kerala to walk on the altar. With its spectacular landscapes, world-class facilities and seamless blend of tradition and modernity, the state is also attracting event planners, couples and corporate clients looking for a distinctive experience, said Smt. Sikha Surendran, Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala.

The state is unique in having a variety of experiences for travel enthusiasts like houseboats, caravan stays, plantation visits, jungle resorts, homestays, Ayurveda-based wellness solutions, adventure activities and countryside walks, including trekking to verdant hills.

Kerala has witnessed a sharp uptick in domestic tourist arrivals, surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2022 while their footfalls increased to a record number in 2023. The increase in footfalls continued in 2024 with a total of 1,08,57,181 tourist arrivals from within the country in the first semester (January-June). International tourist arrivals are also expected to reach pre-COVID levels this year as is evident from an upswing in bookings during the ongoing winter holiday season.

Anticipating a surge in domestic footfalls during the summer holiday season, Kerala Tourism has planned an array of travel trade networking events by organizing B2B roadshows to roll out new products before a wider audience, besides active participation in major trade fairs.

Started with a B2B Travel Meet in Hyderabad on January 21, the campaign will see a string of B2B meets in Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jaipur, Chennai and Kolkata during January-March to showcase the transformative initiatives and popular destinations before leading stakeholders of the tourism and hospitality industry.