07 May 2003
DUBAI - Kerala, billed as one of the 10 must-see places on earth by 'National Geographic Traveller', is making its presence felt in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) with a host of new holiday packages, including Islamic tourism, to woo tourists from the Middle East.
At the ATM, the state - Islam's first home in India - is highlighting the facilities for Muslim tourists at this year's ATM. "We have charted out specific products for the Middle East market in order to augment the interest shown in Kerala at last year's ATM and thereafter. We are sure these products will take off considerably well after their launch this year," said the state's Minister for Tourism Prof.. K.V. Thomas.
He said Kerala preserves some of the oldest mosques in the country. "Ages ago, pilgrims from the Arabian Gulf on their way to Ceylon landed at the ancient Kerala port of Muziris, now Kodungalloor. The Cheraman Perumal Masjid is the first mosque in India built by the king in Kodungalloor. The state also has many places of Muslim pilgrimage and will be an ideal Islamic tourism destination."
He pointed out that Arabs have a long-lasting business relationship with Kerala, with the spice trade being the most significant. Beypore was once an important trade centre famous for its ship building industry.
The state delegation includes T. Balakrishnan, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, and Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Director, Kerala Tourism.
Balakrishnan said Kerala offers MICE (Meeting, Incentive packages, Conventions and Exhibitions) holidays to target the corporate world. Apart from conventional facilities, the state offers options for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions on its beaches, backwaters, hill stations and forests. Medical tourism is another major attraction in the state. Kerala has some excellent hospitals and research centres with world-class facilities where treatment costs are much less than in most places in the world. The sate also offers the best facilities for alternative systems of medicine like siddha, naturopathy, and unani. Great India Tour Company, one of the leading players, offers worldclass medical holiday packages in association with Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences.
Balakrishnan said the state has repackaged monsoon attraction for holiday seekers interested in the state's rich bio-diversity. Also on the cards is a major drive to bring Malabar prominently into the tourism map. A special seminar focusing on Malabar region is to be held from August 14-16 in Calicut. Another major campaign under way is a series of gold festivals planned in five major cities.
According to Balakrishnan, Kerala has posted a growth of 11.37 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals in 2002. The state received around 0.23 million foreign tourists last year despite the 9/11 setbacks that the tourism industry as a whole had to face. "With major new investments earmarked for developing infrastructure facilities, including the Rs100 billion super highway, we hope to sustain the upswing."
DUBAI - Kerala, billed as one of the 10 must-see places on earth by 'National Geographic Traveller', is making its presence felt in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) with a host of new holiday packages, including Islamic tourism, to woo tourists from the Middle East.
At the ATM, the state - Islam's first home in India - is highlighting the facilities for Muslim tourists at this year's ATM. "We have charted out specific products for the Middle East market in order to augment the interest shown in Kerala at last year's ATM and thereafter. We are sure these products will take off considerably well after their launch this year," said the state's Minister for Tourism Prof.. K.V. Thomas.
He said Kerala preserves some of the oldest mosques in the country. "Ages ago, pilgrims from the Arabian Gulf on their way to Ceylon landed at the ancient Kerala port of Muziris, now Kodungalloor. The Cheraman Perumal Masjid is the first mosque in India built by the king in Kodungalloor. The state also has many places of Muslim pilgrimage and will be an ideal Islamic tourism destination."
He pointed out that Arabs have a long-lasting business relationship with Kerala, with the spice trade being the most significant. Beypore was once an important trade centre famous for its ship building industry.
The state delegation includes T. Balakrishnan, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, and Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Director, Kerala Tourism.
Balakrishnan said Kerala offers MICE (Meeting, Incentive packages, Conventions and Exhibitions) holidays to target the corporate world. Apart from conventional facilities, the state offers options for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions on its beaches, backwaters, hill stations and forests. Medical tourism is another major attraction in the state. Kerala has some excellent hospitals and research centres with world-class facilities where treatment costs are much less than in most places in the world. The sate also offers the best facilities for alternative systems of medicine like siddha, naturopathy, and unani. Great India Tour Company, one of the leading players, offers worldclass medical holiday packages in association with Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences.
Balakrishnan said the state has repackaged monsoon attraction for holiday seekers interested in the state's rich bio-diversity. Also on the cards is a major drive to bring Malabar prominently into the tourism map. A special seminar focusing on Malabar region is to be held from August 14-16 in Calicut. Another major campaign under way is a series of gold festivals planned in five major cities.
According to Balakrishnan, Kerala has posted a growth of 11.37 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals in 2002. The state received around 0.23 million foreign tourists last year despite the 9/11 setbacks that the tourism industry as a whole had to face. "With major new investments earmarked for developing infrastructure facilities, including the Rs100 billion super highway, we hope to sustain the upswing."
BY ISAAC JOHN
© Khaleej Times 2003
