Basking In Positivity, Kerala Tourism Surges Forward

Kerala was fast evolving into an all-season tourism destination of late, feverishly pushing monsoon season as an experiential product, when the same monsoon proved a party pooper with unprecedented rains causing havoc all over the State. But the vibrant tourism industry of the State, which enjoys the backing of an equally supportive and visionary government, was in no mood to throw up their hands in frustration. With unmatched synergy and verve they took measures to regain tourists’ confidence. Here is the story of Kerala Tourism which not only managed to stand on its feet post floods but gallop and reclaim its high pedestal

Call this the golden period of Kerala Tourism. Yes, the devastating floods that hit the State in 2018 lessened its charm for some time but God’s Own Country has bounced back in an incredible way, once again proving its unmatched resilience. The credit of leading this magnificent comeback must go to Kadakampally Surendran, the soft-spoken State Tourism Minister, and his seasoned team at the Department of Tourism, who had never let the tourism industry down even in the face of unprecedented adversity. While the State Government had decided to limit its spending on events on account of the floods in August 2018, Kerala Tourism extended full support for conducting Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) in 2018 in September. In fact, that had helped significantly in sending a message across the globe that Kerala was safe and open for tourism.

Now, the latest statistics show Kerala Tourism has registered an impressive growth rate of 14.81 percent in the second quarter of the current year as against the figures of the corresponding period in 2018. There was an increase of 6,39,271 tourists (both domestic and foreign) during April-June this year as compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. In the first quarter (Jan-Mar), the total number of tourist arrivals was 46,12,937 as compared to 43,18,406 during the same period in 2018.

The number of domestic tourists during the second quarter of 2019 increased to 47,73,739 as compared to the figure of 41,49,122 during the same period a year earlier, clocking a healthy 15.05 percent growth rate.