Surat, August 16: Riding on a high-growth trajectory, Kerala Tourism has unfolded a range of fresh products and packages to whip up new interest among travellers from both inside the country and outside in the upcoming festive and winter holiday seasons.
Alongside the new projects, the state’s core assets like beaches, hill stations, houseboats and backwater segment will continue to have a mesmeric charm for the visitors. Kerala’s unique touristy appeal lies in providing a diverse range of experiences for tourists like houseboats, caravan stays, plantation visits, jungle lodges, homestays, Ayurveda-based wellness solutions, adventure activities, countryside walks, and trekking to verdant hills.
Kerala’s resilience in putting its pandemic-hit tourism industry back on the rail is evident from an appreciable surge in domestic arrivals. In pre-COVID times, it was the year 2019 when the state registered the highest growth rate in domestic and total tourist arrivals in 24 years with their number pegged at 1,95,74,004, comprising 1,83,84,233 domestic tourists and 11,89,771 visitors from abroad.
In 2023, it witnessed a record surge in the number of domestic tourists with as many as 21,871,641 people visiting the state. The number of international tourists was pegged at 6,49,057.
As for the first quarter (January-March) of 2024, Kerala attracted 50,37,307 domestic tourists compared to 49,36,274 visitors in the corresponding period a year earlier, registering a 2.05 per cent increase, in a rousing endorsement of its touristy appeal. Equally assuring for Kerala is the uptick in international tourist arrivals, which are expected to reach the pre-COVID levels by 2025.
