Category: Top Stories

The ongoing tenth edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) in Kochi has the highest number of foreign buyers from US and UK, signalling the growing interest of visitors from these countries in Kerala. As many as 42 buyers have arrived from the US while around 40 buyers have turned up from the UK for business interactions with the sellers, being held at Samudrika and Sagara Convention Centre, Willingdon Island. Incidentally, this edition of the KTM has the highest number of foreign buyers, which stands at 545, and they have come from 66 countries. There are 37 buyers representing the UAE ... Read more

Raviz Group of Hotels is planning to reinstate an ancient tourist circuit connecting southern Kerala with Tamil Nadu. This route, which will connect Kollam and Kovalam with Southern Tamil Nadu, was used by foreigners for tourism and trade purposes some 30 years ago. During 1970s and 80s the foreign tourists used to use the southern circuit to visit Kerala. Later it was abandoned as new tourist destinations have emerged like Kochi, Alappuzha Thekkady and Munnar. “We are planning to revive the old route with the name ‘The Copper Plate Circuit,” said Dileep Kumar, General Manager, Leela Raviz, Kovalam. The Copper Plate Circut will ... Read more

The Responsible Tourism stall at the Kerala Travel Mart 2018 is winning the hearts of many with its innovative, yet traditional design. The exhibition stall at the four-day KTM is bustling with activity after its inauguration by Union Tourism Minister K J Alphons. Responsible Tourism promotes community activities with focus on economic boost, environment protection and socio-cultural protection. A man pedalling an irrigation wheel, a woman braiding coconut fronds, two veterans weaving cloth, a tribal taking aim with his bow and arrow. An assemblage of such activities with renewed spirit presents a microcosm of Kerala’s rural life at the stall ... Read more

Site of Amaala Project (Photo Courtesy: Saudi Gazette) Saudi Arabia is planning to build a luxurious tourism center with international standards. It is in addition to the two mega projects in the banks of the red sea. The project cost will be mainly spent from the Sovereign Wealth Fund (Public Investment Fund) of Saudi. Public Investment Fund has announced that they will bear the initial costs of the project, which is named as Amaala. The project will spread on 3,800 square meters will be developed on the concepts of Wellness, Healthy Living and Meditation. Other than the PIF Funding, lots ... Read more

The short video released by famous brand Samsonite saying ‘Kerala is Open’ has become viral in the social media. It was a boost for the Kerala tourism industry, which has been bouncing back from recent floods, which caused widespread damages to the industry. The 40 second video has been shared by thousands of people, including prominent personalities like Former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor, Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampalli Surendran, Renowned film actor Prithwiraj Sukumaran etc. Recently Indian Cricket Team Captain Virat Kohli has also shared the video on his Facebook page. “What a comeback from Kerala! As they say, when the ... Read more

As part of the World Tourism Day, the Kerala Tourism in association with the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS) has organized a walkathon from Kowdiar Square to Kanakakkunnu Palace in Thiruvananthapuram. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister of Tourism, has flagged off the walkathon. A flash mob and mime, highlighting UNWTO’ s theme ‘Tourism and Digital Transformation’ were part of the walkathon performed by the students of (KITTS). Vijayakumar, Chairman, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC); Muraleedharan, MLA; Rajasree Ajith, Director KITTS; B Rajendran, Principal, KITTS; VS Anil, Deputy Director, Tourism; Muraleedharan K, Councillor; Palayam Rajan, Standing Committee Chairman and Shaji ... Read more

Tourists including children and adolescents who visit Veli can now have a trip on a Mini train. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister of Tourism said that a Miniature Railway project was approved at the Veli Tourist Village. The Miniature Railway project, which has modern facilities, will be implemented by the State Tourism Department at a cost of Rs 9 crore. The project will become a reality within 18 months. Tourists can travel on the Mini Train by up to 2 kilo meters. The tourism minister said that the outline of the project is ready. The train will be operated by solar energy. ... Read more

Deenaz Raisinghani with her child (Photo Courtesy: Indian Express) Deenaz Raisinghani, a Jaipur-based blogger is fond of travelling. Having a baby did not stop her craving for travelling. In fact, the mom to a three-year-old has travelled to nine countries with the baby, as a family and even solo. The Backpacking Mama shares her experience of her trip to Kerala. “We travelled to Kerala when my daughter was just 11 months old, and it remains one of our most favourite trips with family. Kerala caters to everyone, on every kind of budget. Along with its scenic beauty, it allures you ... Read more

Mechtild Rössler, Director, UNESCO World Heritage Center All the nations around the world are celebrating 27th September as the World Tourism Day. Varied programmes are organized by people in the tourism industry. Tourism has become a major source of growth, employment and income for many of the world’s countries, particularly in emerging economies. However, when mismanaged, overwhelming numbers of visitors can damage ancient monuments and put intangible heritage at risk. “World Tourism Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of protecting World Heritage and ensuring that tourism makes a positive contribution to the sustainable development of destinations and ... Read more

On the event of World Tourism Day – 27th September 2018- Pondicherry University organizes a workshop on ‘Tourism and the Digital Transformation’. Professor Gurmeet Singh, University Vice Chancellor, will open the event at the School of Management, Pondicherry . P Parthiban, Tourism Secretary, M Nanda Kumar, President, CII-Pondicherry and other industry leaders have participated in the event. “The workshop will serve as a platform for discussing various issues and challenges for the tourism industry,” S K Swain, Head of Department of Tourism Studies. Events had commenced on September 14 with an interaction with school students at Bharati Park as part ... Read more

Short-term and long-term projects are required to boost the tourism sector in Kerala, which has suffered major setback due to the recent floods, opined the tourism fraternity during a meeting held today in Kochi. The travel and tourism stalwarts have also observed that there is a strong need to run marketing campaigns not only in traditional print media, but also in social media, online media and in-flight magazines. The meeting has urged the software professionals from across the IT parks in Kerala to help in marketing the destination to reach out to more people. The tourism fraternity has also requested ... Read more

This World Tourism Day, celebrated across the world on September 27, the tourism fraternity in Kerala is coming together to show their love towards the God’s Own Country and take the internet to storm by posting photographs, videos and messages across various social media platforms. When you share your photographs, videos and messages, make sure to use the hashtags #keralatourism, #mykerala, #worldtourismday. Shashi Tharoor MP, who has a huge fan following in twitter, will launch the campaign tomorrow by posting photographs on his official twitter handle. The state tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran, Kerala Tourism department, celebrities from the cine world ... Read more

The first International Tourism and Security Summit will take place in Jerusalem October 7-9. The event aims at providing practical tools for managing global tourism in an age when bad news can fly across the world at the click of a button and affect the travel plans of millions of people. The conference will bring together different sectors to learn how to manage media during different crises that can affect tourism – and in turn, whole economies. The programme includes presentations from leading scholars and practitioners, focusing on global best practices, research and its implications, and fresh technology and innovation. ... Read more

Nepal Tourism has appointed former Member of Parliament of India and cine artist Jaya Prada has been appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the promotion of tourism in the country. A ministerial-level meeting of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation appointed the 60-year-old Indian actress as the tourism Goodwill Ambassador for four years, informed Ministry spokesperson Ghanshyam Upadhyay. Tourism remains an important source of income generation and creating employment opportunities. India is a big source market for Nepal in terms of tourism and the appointment is expected to be helpful in building a strong base towards that end and increasing ... Read more

The first Cochin International Boat Show (CIBS) will be held from September 26 to 28 at KTDC Bolgatty Palace Event Centre in Kochi. The maiden boat show will be inaugurated by KV Thomas MP and AK Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Naval Command, at 10.30 am on September 26. The event conducted by the Kochi-based Cruz Expos, which organises India Pavilion at the international boat shows in Sri Lanka and Maldives, in association with the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation Ltd. The show will be an ideal opportunity for Motor Boats and Yachts Manufacturers to target the growing ... Read more