Buyers from 69 nations register for India’s largest tourism industry conclave
KTM, the country’s largest tourism industry congregation, happens amid hopes of a revival in post-pandemic travel
Buyers from as many as 69 countries would arrive in Kerala for the eleventh edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), which opens on May 5. KTM, which is the country’s largest tourism industry congregation, will be inaugurated by state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The meet happens amid hopes of a revival in post-pandemic travel. A flurry of business meets on May 6 and 7 will be the highlight of the event being organized by the KTM Society. The conclave is expected to boost Kerala’s revival of the tourism sector by attracting visitors from across the world after two years of slide owing to Covid-19.
In a continued spirit towards providing a fillip to local tourism, the public will be given access to the pavilions at the two venues on May 8 from 1 pm for five hours.
Tourism industry players to come together
Sustaining the spirit of the recent launch of the state government’s ‘Keravan Kerala’, the upcoming edition of KTM will have caravan tourism and adventure tourism among its focal themes. Alongside, the internationally-acclaimed responsible tourism, too, will receive prominent attention, KTM functionaries told a press conference here.
Shortly before the event, the Kochi backwaters will host a sample show of the second edition of the IPL-modelled Champions Boat League being organised by Kerala Tourism.
Organisers have charted a pre-KTM tour for vloggers and media delegates from within the country and abroad to show the beauty and variety of Kerala’s destinations. There will also be a similar post-event tour for select buyers attending the mart, KTM former President Abraham George said. Buyers from 69 countries have registered for KTM, he added.
KTM to be totally paper-free
The upcoming mart, which is to be totally paper-free in a space of 1.5 lakh square feet, will feature exhibitions on key tourism themes. An encouraging number of international and domestic buyers have already registered for KTM, which is also set to give prominence to the government’s tourism initiatives in upstate Malabar.
Last year, the KTM had organized a virtual summit in March, facilitating more than 7,000 business meets that enabled the travel industry to take major strides in overcoming the Covid-triggered economic crisis. That online event saw a virtual buyers’ meet with participants from across the world, including India.
The 2000-constituted KTM Society, which is the country’s biggest organization in the travel and tourism segment, has been working towards reviving the industry since the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state two years ago.
