• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• Business Line
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Sankar Radhakrishnan

Thiruvananthapuram , Jan. 28

KERALA Tourism's efforts to attract more domestic tourists to the State appear to be yielding results. According to figures in the Economic Review-2003, prepared by the State Planning Board, a little over 55.6 lakh domestic tourists visited Kerala in 2002, registering a 6.27-per cent growth rate over the previous year. According to industry sources, this figure is likely to cross 60 lakh in 2003.

A major reason for this growth is Kerala Tourism's integrated communication and marketing initiative, targeted at domestic travellers, particularly the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) segment. Many Indian executives choose to combine a short holiday with a business trip to the State, says an industry observer.

What has also helped the growth of domestic tourism in Kerala is the State Tourism Department's decision to organise roadshows in a number of Indian cities including non-metros such as Nagpur, Pune, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Agra, he adds.

Meanwhile, the State has also witnessed an unprecedented growth in international arrivals in 2003, with the growth rate likely to be around 28 per cent. Marketing efforts in new markets such as West Asia and the Mediterranean appear to have paid off, says a senior tourism official.

More Stories on : Tourism | Kerala

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Programme for SC/ST youth at Kochi

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line