For those looking for a weekend break, vacation with family, or just experiencing nature at its best, it is paradise next door with Kerala's enchanting greenery. Apart from the well-known backwaters, beaches, plantations, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and Ayurveda centres, Kerala attracts tourists with its serviced villas, farms and shopping festivals.
The State is unfolding new experiences to tourists with its recent initiatives. Farm tourism, which is a structured package of visit to tea, cardamom or cinnamon plantations and farms, was launched last year and over 400 tourists visited these destinations so far.
Kerala Serviced Villas provide comfortable accommodation to tourists and offer an opportunity to experience the flavour of Kerala homes. Responsible Tourism was started in Kovalam, Kumarakom, Thekkady and Wayanad to promote tourism without causing any social or ecological damage.
June to September is an off-season in Kerala and Kerala Tourism launched initiatives such as discounts, “Dream Season Campaign” and “Jet2Kerala” packages to encourage visitors during these months. Last year, there was a 12 per cent increase in visitors during the off-season.
The fifth edition of Grand Kerala Shopping Festival will be held from December 1, 2011 to January 15, 2012 and will have 101 kg gold prizes.
It will soon launch “Bring Home a Friend” product for Non-Resident Keralites. The product will be ready in a couple of weeks. Non-Resident Keralites can introduce their friends or associates interested in visiting Kerala to one of the accredited tour operators in the State and earn points that can be redeemed against tour packages. This will be an online product.
Tourist Information Officers of Kerala Tourism B.S. Biju and K. Rajkumar told The Hindu on Wednesday that over nine million tourists visited Kerala last year and the revenue generated was Rs. 13,000 crore (2010-2011). The State is seeing a significant jump in domestic tourists from the tier-two cities and hence organising partnership meetings in nearly 10 tier-two cities in the country, including Coimbatore, this year.
Tour operators and hoteliers in Kerala meet their trade partners in the respective city/town during these meetings.
The Department plans to hold direct interaction with potential tourists in different cities soon, they said.
The department will organise eight exhibitions and 12 workshops abroad this year to promote Kerala as a tourist destination. Brand Kerala was on the coaches of Rajdhani Express and the cabs in the U.K.
Last year, a mobile campaign was also launched to showcase unseen destinations. The State expects eight to 10 per cent growth in tourism revenue this year.
