New Delhi, Oct 13 Getting industry status for the tourism sector in Keralam has been a long-pending demand of stakeholders, and it is expected that this decision will yield “a lot of investment”, state’s tourism minister P C Vishnunadh has said.
Ahead of the peak inbound and domestic tourism season coinciding with Dussehra and Diwali festivals, Kerala Tourism held a roadshow in Delhi, showcasing a wide array of products and packages along with its evergreen destinations and experiences.
“According to the latest tourism statistics and trends, there has been an all-season surge in footfalls with the first quarter of 2026 (Q1) registering a 10.98 per cent increase in domestic tourist arrivals compared to Q1 of 2025,” the state tourism department said in a statement.
A senior official of the tourism department interacted with mediapersons, which was followed by a B2B networking session.
The state government has planned to unveil its policy framework on granting an industry status to the tourism sector, making the state a safe, viable and sustainable investment destination for the travel and hospitality industry.
“Getting industry status (for the tourism sector) has been a long-pending demand of stakeholders in the sector. We expect this decision will yield a lot of investment,” P C Vishnunadh, state’s minister for tourism and culture, was quoted as saying in the statement.
The state had recently rechristened its nomenclature as Keralam.
The state’s tourism department carries the old name Kerala in its branding, and on its official website.
Earlier this month, the the state’s tourism department had launched the ‘Brand Wayanad’ initiative, which brings to focus the natural beauty, heritage and agricultural and cultural traditions of upland Wayanad district in north Keralam, bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
This goes well with the government’s policy of collaborating with other tourist destinations in the country, opening a new chapter in sustainable cooperation, the statement said.
“As part of this strategic shift, joint tourism circuits connecting destinations with similar features, including regions like Coorg and Mysuru in Karnataka, the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu and even countries like Sri Lanka, are being explored,” it said.
A string of new circuits traversing cultural, historical and spiritual landmarks has also been marked in Keralam’s tourism map. A calendar of cultural events and traditional festivals is also available, enabling visitors to choose the place and time as per their preference, it said.
The packages being prominently promoted include the Kochi-Muziris heritage network, which presents highly fascinating layers of Keralam’s maritime and cultural links with West Asia and the Mediterranean lands, being the centre of a thriving spice trade dating back centuries.
Apart from long-storied panoramic sites and attractions such as spotless beaches, breathtaking hill stations and houseboat cruises on tranquil backwaters, a slew of fresh and riveting products are also on offer, turning a visit to the state into a complete experience, the tourism department said.
The packages highlighted Keralam as an integrated destination where travellers can have multiple experiences during a week-long itinerary that will take them across the state.
The tourism infrastructure in the state has also got upgraded to make the entire ecosystem “barrier-free and accessible”. The integration of the tourism sector with AI and cutting-edge digital tools has made information flow accurate and seamless, making tour packages and logistics hassle-free, it added.
In its ’25 Best Experiences in 2026′ report, global travel guide Lonely Planet featured Keralam’s culinary culture as one “among the top 25 best travel experiences to enjoy in 2026”, featuring it as the only Indian state on this prestigious list, the statement said.
“The state is well-prepared to receive an increased footfall this season, on the strength of new products and packages that will take visitors through a whole set of highly fascinating places and experiences,” Biju K, state tourism secretary, was quoted as saying in the statement.
“Our outreach campaigns across the country have received good response, and we are confident that will be reflected during the unfolding season,” Anjana M, director, Kerala Tourism, was quoted as saying in the statement.
(PTI News)
