KTM 2018, with focus on Malabar Tourism, will host 73 countries

The 2018 edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), the largest gathering of tourism stakeholders in the state, will be held from 27th to 30th September, in Kochi. The inaugural session of the four-day event, being organised by the KTM Society in association with the State Tourism Department, will be held at hotel Grand Hyatt, Bolgatty, on September 27.

A series of buyer-seller meets, seminars and policy deliberations will take place at Samudrika and Sagara Convention Centre at the Willingdon Island. ‘Malabar tourism’ will be the theme of this year’s KTM and will focus on the nine rivers of north Kerala.

The event will focus on measures that would lead to a strong resurgence of tourism, which is the mainstay of Kerala’s economy. Delegates from as many as 73 countries will be attending the meet. Around 1,000 rooms have been booked in top hotels in the city to accommodate the participants coming from these countries.

“The response to this edition of KTM has been overwhelming with 395 overseas buyers and 1,095 domestic buyers having registered as participants. The complete list of participants for the buyer-seller meet will be released on September 10,” said Baby Mathew Somatheeram, KTM Society President.

As in its previous editions, KTM will serve as a strong platform to showcase its time-tested as well as new products of Kerala and establish firm business links by bringing together internationally reputed buyers and sellers and tour operators under one roof, he said.

“Total expense for the event would be around Rs 3.5 to Rs 3.75 crore,” said Abraham George, former president and expert member of the National Tourism Advisory Committee (NTAC).