Kerala Tourism eyes increased tourist footfall during Dussehra–Diwali season

With the prime domestic tourism season all set to commence coinciding with the Dussehra and Deepavali holidays, Kerala Tourism has launched an extensive pre-season campaign with partnership meets and roadshows across the western and northern states.  

The partnership meets will showcase Keralam’s emergence as a prime experiential tourism destination with attractive tour packages on offer. 

Starting the outreach, Kerala Tourism hosted pre-season tourism B2B partnership meets in Gujarat and Maharashtra, presenting the unique features of Keralam as an attractive holiday destination that promises immersive experiences. 

Around 50 tourism stakeholders from the state engaged themselves with representatives of travel trade in Mumbai at the B2B meet, placing attractive deals and holiday packages on the table. 

The packages highlighted Keralam as a destination where travellers can experience multiple offerings during a six-night itinerary that will take them to scenic beaches, tranquil backwaters, breathtaking hill stations and enchanting forests, besides the picturesque landscape that marks the entire state. 

According to the latest tourism statistics and trends, there has been an all-season surge in footfalls with the first quarter of 2026 (Q1) registering a 10.98 per cent increase in domestic tourist arrivals compared to Q1 of 2025. 

The outreach also has its emphasis on Kerala Tourism’s strategic shift to firmly establish the state as a major experiential tourism hub, elevating the holiday experience of domestic as well as international tourists, Tourism Minister Shri P C Vishnunadh said. The minister said this in the context of the State Government’s decision to soon accord Industry status to tourism sector; stakeholders have greater leverage to redefine their packages. 

“The focus of this campaign is to ramp up domestic tourist arrivals to the state during September- November season when the Dussehra and Deepavali holidays commence. Ranging from culture, heritage, places of worship and serene beaches to wildlife havens and culinary hotspots, Keralam promises an entirely immersive and unforgettable experience to visitors,” Shri Vishnunadh added. 

The tempo set by the B2B meets in Ahmedabad and Vadodara last month will be followed by a series of travel trade networking activities, including participation in trade fairs and B2B roadshows to introduce new tourism products of Keralam to a wider audience. Media platforms such as TV, social media, print and radio are also being leveraged as part of the outreach. 

Apart from Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Mumbai, B2B meets will be held in Pune, Delhi, Jaipur, Surat and Nagpur also from October to November. 

The upcoming campaign has been planned amid global endorsement of Keralam as a never-miss destination. A recent report by London-based Rough Guides listed Keralam as one of world’s top 26 destinations to visit in 2026, citing ‘God’s Own Country’ as one of the most sought-after places in 2026.   

In its ‘25 Best Experiences In 2026’ report, reputed global travel guide Lonely Planet featured Keralam’s culinary culture as one among the top 25 best travel experiences to enjoy in 2026, featuring Keralam as the only Indian state on this prestigious list. 

TheB2B meets in Maharashtra assume significance considering factors like better rail and air connectivity between Maharashtra and Keralam. Various direct flights and roughly around 20 connecting flights via Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai are available from major airports in Keralam, including Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Kannur to Mumbai. These connectivity options facilitate the smooth flow of tourists, business travellers and visitors.