Kerala Travel Mart 2024 is revolutionizing the tourism industry, boasting over 75,000 business deals while harnessing cutting-edge technology to deliver an extraordinary travel experience.
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The 12th Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) 2024 has set a new benchmark, becoming Asia’s largest tourism event by facilitating over 75,000 business-to-business (B2B) meetings during its three-day run. This far exceeded the 55,000 meetings recorded in 2022. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), Kerala Travel Mart 2024 has truly transformed the way the tourism sector operates.
KTM Society President Shri Jose Pradeep noted the event’s pivotal role in reshaping tourism, while Secretary Shri S. Swaminathan praised the KTM software and its user-friendly QR code system, which allowed for both scheduled and spontaneous interactions, making business connections seamless.
Held at the Sagara-Samudrika Convention Centre on Willingdon Island, Kerala Travel Mart 2024 attracted around 2,000 domestic buyers and 800 international buyers from 75 countries. Inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, the event showcased 347 stalls across a vast 150,000 square-foot area, all adhering to strict eco-friendly protocols.
Four key seminar sessions addressed major industry issues, aiming to position Kerala as a leading destination for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism and wedding/honeymoon packages, further strengthening Kerala’s global appeal.
Kerala Travel Mart 2024 Attracts Global Attention with Wellness and Experiential Tourism
The Kerala Travel Mart 2024 (KTM) has emerged as a massive crowd-puller, drawing buyers from across the globe. The four-day event, held at the Samudrika Convention Centre in Kochi, has attracted 808 foreign buyers from 76 countries. Notably, 67 buyers are from the UK, 60 from the Gulf, and 55 from the US. The event also saw significant participation from European nations, with 34 buyers from Russia and 245 from other European countries. Africa sent 41 buyers, while many more hailed from East Asia. Among domestic participants, Maharashtra topped the list with 578 buyers, followed by Delhi with 340 and Gujarat with 263.
The impressive turnout reflects Kerala Travel Mart’s growing international influence, particularly in the fields of wellness and experiential tourism. Pawel Szczotka, a Polish travel agent attending KTM for the first time, praised the event and Kerala, calling it “God’s Own Country.” He expressed interest in bringing Polish tourists to Kerala, impressed by the state’s experiential tourism packages.
Wellness tourism, particularly Ayurveda, also stood out as a major attraction. Hazel Tshosa from Botswana highlighted the similarities between Kerala and her country regarding traditional medicine, noting how Kerala has preserved its ancient healing methods, particularly through structured Ayurvedic practices. Hazel sees great potential for these packages among Botswanans, as her country has lost much of its traditional knowledge.
Naomi Jasmine Clark from the UK also shared her connection to Kerala, which began through research with The Blue Yonder. Now a liaison with British agents, Naomi noted the significant interest from foreign buyers, predicting a surge in international tourist footfalls to Kerala.
Kerala Travel Mart 2024 has set a new record with 2,839 buyers in attendance, far surpassing the previous record of 1,305 set in 2018. In addition to international buyers, the domestic category saw participation from 2,035 buyers.
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Minister for Tourism and PWD, Mohammed Riyas, emphasized Kerala’s commitment to wellness tourism, with plans to position the state as a hub for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), wedding destinations, and cruise tourism. He also highlighted the state’s focus on responsible tourism and its initiative to open an Incubation and Innovation Centre to foster collaboration with investors and industrialists. Segments like Ayurveda, caravan tourism, heli-tourism, village life, and adventure tourism are set to gain even more prominence.
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As Kerala Travel Mart 2024 continues to evolve, the state is positioning itself as a global leader in tourism innovation, blending tradition with modern trends to attract tourists from all over the world.
Kerala Travel Mart 2024 Highlights State’s Tourism Recovery and New Models
The 12th edition of Kerala Travel Mart 2024 (KTM) was successfully held from September 26 to 29 in Kochi, showcasing Kerala’s tourism potential to a global audience. The event kicked off with an inaugural ceremony on September 26, followed by three days of sessions at the Sagara and Samudrika convention centers on Willingdon Island. Known as Asia’s largest tourism event, this edition drew strong international participation.
In the lead-up to the Kerala Travel Mart 2024, a pre-mart tour from September 22 to 26 was organized for media professionals, vloggers, and influencers. Following the event, a five-day post-mart tour across Kerala takes place from September 30, providing select buyers with a deeper insight into the state’s tourism offerings.
Kerala’s Minister for Tourism, Mohammed Riyas, emphasized that the state has made a remarkable recovery from the impact of COVID-19. The first half of the year saw a significant rise in domestic tourist arrivals, along with a strong increase in foreign visitors.
The minister also highlighted several innovative tourism models introduced by Kerala, such as “Keravan Kerala,” Wedding Destination packages, and Responsible Tourism initiatives. Additionally, the Destination Challenge, aimed at uncovering unexplored tourist spots, as well as health and wellness tourism and adventure tourism, are being implemented with support from local bodies and private stakeholders.
Riyas also mentioned that “Kireedom Bridge” will be the first completed project under Kerala’s Cinema Tourism initiative, and a Memorandum of Understanding for Heli Tourism will be signed in December.
With Kerala Travel Mart 2024, the state continues to set new standards in tourism, attracting both domestic and international visitors with fresh and innovative travel experiences.
