Tag Archives: Kerala

Kerala welcomed 2,22,46,989 tourists in 2024, which marked a substantial increase of 21 percent from the pre-pandemic period, informed P A Mohamed Riyas, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala. The first half of 2024 (January-June) alone saw a total of 1,08,57,181 tourist arrivals from within the country.

Kerala allocated ₹80 crore for national and global promotion in the state budget FY2025-26. It will continue to focus on its traditional international markets: Europe, North America and South America. “We recently saw a rise in arrivals from Australia so we will focus on it along with the ones witnessing dip,” said Sikha Surendran, Director, Kerala Tourism.

As part of the 13th edition of the annual Traveller Review Awards 2025, Booking.com unveiled the 10 Most Welcoming Places in India and on Earth. Himachal Pradesh was named the Most Welcoming Region in India followed by Kerala and Goa. Bir emerged as the Most Welcoming City in India followed by Mararikulam and Leh.

Speaking during Kerala Tourism Partnership Meet 2025, P.A. Mohamed Riyas, Tourism Minister, Kerala, revealed that Kerala Tourism will showcase new summer holiday products before the domestic tourists targeting school holidays and families in their upcoming campaign. The focus will be on North Kerala, especially Bekal, Wayanad, and Kozhikode, besides lesser-known destinations with vastly improved infrastructure.

P.A. Mohamed Riyas, Tourism & PWD Minister, Kerala, said, “The tourism department will organise a ‘tribal cultural festival’ this year to promote tourism in Wayanad by highlighting the cultural and ethnic heritage of the place, adding that Wayanad had a special place on the tourism map owing to its immense possibilities for adventure tourism and balmy weather.”

Kerala-based travel services operator Alhind Group has received the Civil Aviation Ministry’s initial nod to start an airline — Alhind Air. This takes the group’s ambition to enter India’s fast-growing aviation sector a step closer. The airline will start its operations by the end of 2024 after receiving the Air Operator Certificate from DGCA.

Opening the International Kayaking Facilitation Centre at Pulikkayam in Kodenchery, PA Mohamed Riyas, Public Works Department & Tourism Minister, Kerala, said it will be ideal to have off-road championships regularly within Kerala, and Kodenchery that will boost the tourism sector. ‘We will attract not just locals but participants from all over the globe,” he said.

Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi, BJP’s first Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, became the MoS of Tourism in the NDA Cabinet 3.0. Gopi, who recorded an unprecedented win for NDA from Thrissur constituency, has been made the Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas as well.

P A Mohamed Riyas, Kerala Tourism Minister, mentioned, “Heli-tourism endeavour enables tourists to save time during their visits to destinations. Travellers may sometimes face a few hiccups with surface travel in the state. Thus heli-tourism will be of immense benefit”.

Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas informed that Kerala attracted 1,06,83,643 visitors from within the country in the first six months of this calendar year as compared to 88,95,593 in the corresponding period last year, clocking a robust 20.1 per cent increase, setting a record in domestic tourist footfall.