The tenth edition of the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) that would conclude on Wellington Island, near here, on Sunday has the highest number of foreign buyers from the U.S. and the U.K., signalling the growing interest of visitors from these countries in Kerala.
Already, tourists from the U.K. form the largest number of visitors to the State. As many as 42 buyers arrived from the U.S. while 40 buyers turned up from the U.K. for business interactions with sellers. This edition of the KTM has the highest number of foreign buyers -- 545 from 66 countries. There are 37 buyers representing the U.A.E. and 36 buyers from Germany.
In an innovative venture called ‘Kerala on Wheels,’ the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) and Intersight Tours and Travels have come up with a package that clubs together all the KTDC properties located in various destinations of the State at an affordable rate to help tourists explore and enjoy different shades of Kerala at one go and in a hassle-free manner.
KTDC Chairman M Vijayakumar launched the project. At one stretch, a traveller can experience the green paddy fields, mist-clad tea gardens, backwaters and beaches, he said. The first package comprises Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady and Kumarakom/Alappuzha while the second one covers Kochi, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumarakom/Alappuzha and Kovalam.
KTDC Managing Director Rahul R. said the recent floods had created a feeling of skepticism in the market that the occupancy in hotels would come down.
“Instead of getting bogged down by such negative sentiments, KTDC decided to put in more efforts and the result is such packages,” he said.
