Kerala aims to become a global wellness hub: CM

Incubation and Innovation Centre to open, Minister Riyas tells KTM

Kochi / September 26, 2024

Kochi, Sep 26: Tuning into changing global needs and trends, Kerala is initiating measures to make the state a hub of wellness tourism, Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan said today.

Inaugurating the four-day Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) showcasing the state’s strengths in destinations and hospitality before a global gathering, the Chief Minister said “we envisage a care economy, which will cater to the comforts of the young and the aged alike.”

The boost to wellness tourism will chip in services from the travel industry, he said at the 12th edition of KTM, Asia’s biggest tourism sector event that attracts stakeholders from around the world.

As Kerala tops the country’s states in Ease of Doing Business, the state can woo more people with its salubrious climate, world-class healthcare, peaceful atmosphere founded on secular values, Shri Vijayan said. “That will bring us more investment as well,” he added, emphasizing the need to take measures that curtailed carbon footprint and guarantees sustainable tourism.

Kerala is committed to reviving tourism in the aftermath of the Wayanad tragedy during this monsoon by going ahead with its special marketing campaigns that seek to instill confidence among travelers in the state, Shri Vijayan said.

The impact of the June-end landslides in the upland district was limited to just a section of the Vythiri belt, but an impression that the entire Wayanad is unsafe is “far from true”, he said. “Tourism in other parts of the district and the state remain unaffected,” he noted, urging for “responsible dissemination of correct and updated information”.

Tourism Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas and Finance Minister Shri K N Balagopal also addressed the opening ceremony at Le Meridien Hotel and Convention Center in the city.

The government is set to open an Incubation and Innovation Centre in collaboration with investors, industrialists and administrative officials, Tourism Minister Shri Mohammed Riyas announced. Budding entrepreneurs as well as students can make use of this endeavour, he pointed while chairing the inaugural session.

Shri Riyas, who chaired the inaugural ceremony, said Kerala Tourism has witnessed a remarkable and resilient journey after the travel and hospitality industry suffered a terrible downturn during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bouncing back from the crisis, tourism has not only reached pre-pandemic level buoyancy, but even surpassed it with a record 2.18 crore domestic tourist arrivals in 2023, registering an increase of 15.92 % over 2022. “There was also a surge in foreign tourist arrivals with their number touching 6.49 lakh, representing an impressive growth of 87.83 per cent as compared to 2022,” he added.

Minister Shri Balagopal, who was guest of honour at the ceremony, said increasing application of artificial intelligence will fuel tourism, more so in the heritage sector, thus promoting art and culture further. Suitably, the focal points of KTM-2024 are Responsible Tourism, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), wedding destination and cruise, he pointed out.

The buyers at this edition of KTM clocked the highest-ever total of 2,839 (vis-à-vis the standing record of 1,305 in 2018), while the domestic category adds up to 2,035.

The ceremony saw Shri Vijayan according a special recognition to the just-retired Chief Secretary Dr Venu V. for his “outstanding contributions to the growth of Kerala Tourism”.  Shri Hibi Eden, MP, released a Seller’s Directory, while Tourism Secretary Shri K. Biju gave a presentation on Kerala Tourism.

The inaugural ceremony will be followed by three days of business sessions — all of them at the Sagara-Samudrika Convention Centre in Willingdon Island. The mart will also host an expo, which will be open for the public on the last day (September 29).

Felicitation addresses were delivered by MLAs Shri K. Babu, Shri K.J. Maxi and Shri T.J. Vinod and Mayor Anilkumar M, besides Kerala Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Shri P.K. Sasi and Kerala Tourism Director Smt Sikha Surendran, who is also MD of KTDC, and District Collector Shri N.S.K. Umesh. KTM Society President Shri Jose Pradeep welcomed the gathering, while Secretary Shri S. Swaminathan proposed thanks.

Into its silver jubilee year, KTM Society honoured its past presidents and secretaries: Jose Dominic, E.M. Najeeb, Riyas Ahamed, Abraham George, Baby Mathew Somatheeram, James Kodiyanthara, Sanjay Sharma, Sajeev Kurup, Anish Kumar, Jose Mathew and Jose Pradeep.

Of the 808 foreign buyers from 76 countries at KTM 2024, 67 are from the UK, 60 from the Gulf and 55 from the US. While the buyers from Russia total 34, those from the rest of Europe total 245. There are 41 buyers from Africa; others are from East Asia. Maharashtra (578) tops the domestic buyers, followed by Delhi (340) and Gujarat (263).

As a run-up, KTM-2024 organised a four-day pre-mart tour that concluded on Wednesday, involving media persons, vloggers and influencers. From September 30, there will also be a five-day post-mart tour across Kerala for select buyers who attended the event.

ENDS