Taking forward its strategic plans to rev up the state’s travel and hospitality sector, Kerala Tourism will be holding a investors’ meet in the city on November 16 showcasing immense investment opportunities in destinations, products and initiatives that firmly mark the state as an all-season experiential tourism hub. 

Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the ‘Tourism Investors Meet’ (TIM), the first such initiative planned on a big scale, at Hyatt Regency at Thycaud in the city on November 16 at 12 noon. 

Minister for Tourism and PWD Shri PA Mohamed Riyas will preside over the opening session, which will be attended by Planning Board Vice Chairman, Chief Secretary of Kerala, officials from various departments and investors from India and abroad. 

Briefing media on the salient features of the event, Shri Riyas said here today that the thrust areas and locations that need more investments have been identified and they will be unveiled before the investors and other stakeholders from India and abroad.

“Tourism sector is a highly promising area for Kerala, whose full investment potential is yet to be tapped effectively. The investors meet will make major strides in that direction,” Shri Riyas said.

The event, which will be attended by around 350 investors, will unveil before the stakeholders abundant investment opportunities inthe tourism sector of Kerala, including hospitality, eco-tourism initiatives, adventure tourism, responsible tourism and sustainable tourism projects, the Minister said.

It will feature presentations and exhibitions highlighting various tourism investment opportunities across the state. Seminars and workshop sessions on tourism trends, project pitch sessions, roundtable discussions and B2B meetings are other highlights of the conclave.

The state government has plenty of landed and physical assets at its disposal at locations of immense tourism possibilities all over Kerala, which need to be developed in a sustainable manner to turn the entire state into one of world’s prime all-weather experiential tourism hubs, Shri Riyas said.

Noting that the highly transient nature of tourism in the present-day world called for new strategies and approaches, the Minister said it is vital for Kerala to update, upgrade and reorient the vital sector to keep up with the current trends, demands and choices, by attracting more investment in promising locations and products. 

Kerala Tourism is set to make a strategic stride from a strong foundation assiduously built over the last 25 years, based on a robust state-industry partnership. The ensuing Tourism Investors Meet will further deepen and broaden this collaboration, which has been the underpinning of Kerala’s success story as a viable tourism model,recognised and appreciated by stakeholders all over the world.  

Shri Riyas said new ideas, practices and products by investors need to be leveraged by means of joint ventures, public-private partnership (PPP) models and operational arrangements.

Shri Riyas said a special facilitation centre will be set up at the Tourism Directorate in the state capital for providing services to investors and take forward their projects in the sector. It will impact the state’s economy and create job opportunities apart from bringing a holistic change in the tourism sector, he added. 

Shri Riyas also unveiled the logo of the Tourism Investors Meet on the occasion. 

Shri K Biju, Secretary, Tourism, who was present at the press meet, said the event is also an effort to increase tourism sector’s contribution to the state’s GDP from 10 percent to 12 percent. He said the conclave is expected to yield substantial investment.

Tourism Director Shri Nooh said despite the pandemic and unrest in various parts of the world, more than 1.88 crore visitors including domestic as well as foreign tourists came to Kerala in 2022.

 The Tourism Investors Meet will set the stage for investors to familiarise themselves with various opportunities in Kerala. The land parcels owned by the Tourism as well as other departments will be showcased at the event, Shri Nooh said.

Kerala Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Smt Sikha Surendran and KTIL Managing Director Dr Manoj Kumar K were also present.