Tourism stakeholders from across the State will showcase their brands before a host of national and international players at KTM 2012, the seventh edition of the Kerala Travel Mart that will be held here from September 27 to September 30.
This time, the venue is Le Meridien Convention Centre. Hotels, airlines, ayurveda centres, home and farm stays, house boats, speciality hospitals and resorts will market their ventures as sellers.
There will also be travel agents and tour operators who offer adventure, backwater, heritage, monsoon, plantation, wedding and honeymoon packages.
More buyers
“This time, we are focusing on attracting more quality buyers from different countries. A pre-appointment system has been adopted, wherein each buyer will have at least 15 appointments with different sellers,” said E.M. Najeeb, the vice-chairman of the mart’s organising committee.
Bar-coded badges will be issued to all the registered buyers and sellers.
The KTM, held every two years, is a major marketing activity in the travel sector in India organised by private players and the State government.
Representatives of national and international publications would be among the guests.
The organisers expect around 1,500 buyers from 50 countries and other States to participate in the mart.
“Budget-conscious smaller players can opt for table spaces, since they are more affordable than the stalls. The tourism departments of all southern Indian States have confirmed their participation.
Most of the airlines are partners of the event and they will fly in the buyers. Post-mart farm tours will be arranged, where the buyers will be able to choose a visit to any of the tourism destinations that are shortlisted,” Mr. Najeeb said.
Tours planned
The tours have been planned to Bekal, Wayanad, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumarakom, Alappuzha, Kollam and Kovalam. At KTM 2012, there will be 108 table spaces, 296 stalls and 12 houseboat parking bays.
As on date, 1,409 buyers have registered, out of which 468 are international and 1,335 domestic. All the stalls and houseboat bays have been booked. Only a few tables are remaining, the organisers said.
The buyers will be accommodated in 800 rooms contributed by hotels and resorts in and around Kochi.
