Tourism News
Silicon Valley Warms up to 'God's Own Country'
Apple and Facebook have met their match in Kalaripayattu and Kathakali.
Kerala's iconic cultural expressions, much loved across the world for their centuries-old artistic creativity and content, captured the imagination of corporate leaders attending a 'Kerala Evening' in the world's high-tech capital in California.
Silicon Valley, which is home to the world's top technology companies, revelled in the cultural festivities as corporate leaders and executives were held spellbound by the pristine beauty of the backwaters and beaches of 'God's Own Country'.
Kathakali and Kalaripayattu performers enthralled a packed venue of the event organised by Kerala Tourism at the Silicon Valley's Palo Alto, which gave birth to tech giants like Google and Facebook.
"It is a significant day in the history of our State's tourism sector," said Mr. A. P. Anilkumar, Minister for Tourism, Kerala. The United States is a key market for Kerala Tourism. In-bound tourism from America to Kerala has grown about 40 per cent in the past two years. Our first-ever corporate meet in the Silicon Valley is a crucial step towards further increasing those numbers," he added.
The executives of several high-tech companies in Silicon Valley attended the corporate meet at the Four Seasons Hotel in East Palo Alto and were addressed by Mr. G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, Secretary, Kerala Tourism.
"Kerala is growing as a destination for corporate leaders and executives around the world because of its beautiful as well as peaceful locations to talk and do business," said Mr. G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, Secretary, Kerala Tourism. We want to invite the management of MNCs to Kerala for corporate retreats. With a large concentration of highly qualified software professionals and entrepreneurs, Kerala is an ideal destination for investment by the Silicon Valley companies," he added.
The Kerala Tourism event was intended to introduce Kerala as a destination to the companies in the Silicon Valley and also to portray the State as an investor-friendly destination.
