Stung by back-to-back setbacks including natural disasters and calamities, Kerala Tourism is now eyeing the South Asian market and Russia to put the tourism industry back on its feet in Kerala. The State has decided to tap the potential of markets in Malaysia, Singapore, and Russia to bring the numbers of foreign tourist arrivals back to the pre-COVID-19 level. The Tourism department will send delegations to attend B2B meets and tourism fairs in these countries along with participating in trade fairs in countries like Singapore, Thailand, Germany, Australia and the UK.
The foreign tourist arrivals in Kerala which clocked a record 11.89 lakh in 2019 were hovering around 6.4 lakh in 2023. According to a senior Tourism department officer, it will take at least two years for Kerala to reach the pre-pandemic level of foreign tourist arrivals. “Our immediate focus is to tap the South Asian market and Russia maximum to recoup the numbers. The tourist arrivals from Malaysia, Singapore, and Russia have been witnessing a surge in the recent years. A total of 40,197 arrivals from Malaysia were reported in 2019, followed by 35,066 tourists from Russia and 11,883 from Singapore.”
The tourists in South Asian destinations have started to look beyond the traditional destinations there. Further, Kerala enjoys direct air connectivity with the potential countries in South Asia and frequency of flights have increased after the COVID-19. “This is one of the main reasons for the focus on these markets,” the official said. In addition, it is highly imperative for the State to make its presence felt in the traditional international markets along with new markets to communicate the message that Kerala is back and safe for travel, he said.
The Wayanad landslide, which claimed hundreds of lives, has taken the sheen out of the popular hill destinations in Kerala for a while. Although the majority of the foreign tourists visit places in Kochi, Idukki, backwater destinations in Alappuzha as well as Kottayam, along with destinations like Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram, the natural calamity has dented the image of Kerala as a whole. Wayanad is mostly frequented by domestic tourists and some foreigners from West Asia.
However, it is highly essential for the State to start a campaign in the international platforms repositioning the brand image of Kerala and proclaiming that Kerala is safe for travel, said officials. PATA Travel Mart Thailand; B2B meet at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia; ITB Asia Singapore; B2B meet at Sydney and Melbourne in Australia; WTM London, UK; and B2B meet at Frankfurt and Munich in Germany are some of campaign outreach of Kerala Tourism planned in the coming months.
Published - September 03, 2024 07:10 pm IST
