Kerala figures as the Best Performer in Tourism in India Today’s 2022 ranking
Kerala figures as the Best Performer in Tourism in India Today’s 2022 ranking
Trivandrum / December 18, 2022
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec. 18: Kerala has figured as the Best Performing Big State in India Today’s ‘State of the States 2022’ ranking, marking a big endorsement of the state’s well-crafted strategies and initiatives to retain its standing as the country’s premier tourism destination overcoming the downturn triggered by devastating floods and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Significantly, the accolade from the top media house comes within months of TIME magazine featuring Kerala among world’s 50 extraordinary destinations to explore in 2022. Also, Kerala’s STREET project under its acclaimed Responsible Tourism lifted a global award at World Travel Market (WTM), London, more recently.
“Kerala finally seems to be emerging from the shadows of mega floods first and then Covid-19,” India Today noted in its latest edition. Kerala scored 90.5 points in the rating score.
The State of the State’s 2022 study was conducted by Marketing and Development Research Associates (MDRA), a premier Delhi-based research agency. The ratings were done based on the most relevant and exhaustive data, covering aspects which are crucial in fostering inter-state competition and upholding the true spirit of India’s federal structure, India Today noted.
In 2021 also Kerala stood first in tourism among major Indian states as per India Today’s rating.
Kerala Tourism Minister Shri PA Mohamed Riyas said, “India Today’s rating comes as a major affirmation of our well-thought-out strategies and initiatives to promote tourism in a sustainable manner and rising to the demands and expectations of today’s travellers.
“The last few years had been really testing for Kerala Tourism as its tourism sector was hit hard by back-to-back floods and the pandemic. But we had refused to be disheartened and made sustained efforts to reconfigure this key sector. Our efforts have started yielding handsome returns as the first three quarters of 2022 saw a record performance in domestic tourism,” Shri Riyas said.
Principal Secretary, Tourism, Shri K S Srinivas said India Today’s ranking is a major endorsement of the pioneering initiatives and campaigns mounted by Kerala Tourism.
Apart from the state’s caravan tourism initiative ‘Keravan Kerala’, trail-blazing projects like the Literary Circuit and Biodiversity Circuit also contributed significantly in the state emerging stronger during the year.
Tourism Director Shri P B Nooh said “Kerala ranking as the Best Performing Big State in India Today’s annual ratings shows that our upfront initiatives like exploring the unexplored destinations and sustained campaigns within India and outside have been successful, and the prospects look even brighter for the year ahead”.
