Tourism News
Tourism thrives in spite of the odds in 2013
When the tourism and hospitality industry witnessed a global slowdown, Kerala Tourism was able to draw 10.8 million domestic tourists and 0.85 million foreign tourists in 2013.
Kerala Tourism’s innovative promotional strategies, tapping of new markets abroad, use of social media and cooperation of tour operators and other stakeholders in the industry helped the State to retain the top position and to increase tourist arrivals last year.
Foreign tourist arrival to Kerala during the year 2013 was 8,58,143, which was an increase of 8.12% compared to pervious year’s 7,93,696. The domestic tourist arrivals registered an increase of 7.75% with the arrivals going up from 1,00,76,854 in 2012 to 1,08,57,811 in the previous year.
“The depreciation of the rupee and tapping of new markets such as the Middle East, Australia, and the United States have paid rich dividends. The travel industry helped us penetrate these new markets to overcome the slowdown, and retain the top position as a destination for all seasons,” said Mr. Suman Billa, Secretary, Kerala Tourism.
“Kerala Tourism’s aggressive campaigns on Ayurveda and backwaters, among others, the shift of focus to tier II and III cities in the domestic sector, and the proper use of social media and IT-enabled products for marketing Kerala, also contributed to the success” added the secretary.
The total revenue, including both direct and indirect from the tourism sector during 2013 touched Rs.22,9265.5 million, showing an increase of 12.22% over previous year’s Rs.2,04,300 million. The foreign exchange earnings from tourism in 2013 went up from Rs.4,5716.9 million to Rs.5,5607.7 million.
“The 21.63 percentage increase in foreign exchange earnings reflects how well the travel trade in the State has done in the international market,” said Mr. Suman Billa.
The district-wise data shows that Ernakulam district remains on top of the table in tourist arrivals with 3,52,314 arrivals in 2013, followed by Thiruvananthapuram with 2,68,444 arrivals. Idukki district with 68,880 arrivals came third. Pathanamthitta continues to attract the least number of foreign tourists with only 1,255 arrivals recorded in the district last year.
The number of foreign tourist arrivals was the highest in February with a figure of 1,15,403 followed by January with 1,13,627 and 1,01,909 in December. The least was in June last year with 29,758 arrivals.
