The Chief Minister was inaugurating the 13th edition of the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM 2026), one of the country’s premium tourism and trade events, at Grand Hyatt, Bolgatty, here.
Tourism, Culture and Cinema Minister Shri P.C. Vishnunadh presided over the function, where Cooperation and Excise Minister Shri M. Liju was the Guest of Honour.
MLAs Shri Tony Chammany, Shri T.J. Vinod, Shri Mohammed Shiyas and Shri Deepak Joy; Kochi Corporation Mayor Adv. Minimol V.K. and Shri S Harikishore, IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, were also present.
“In 2025, Kerala recorded 8,21,999 foreign tourist visits, registering an increase of 11.33 percent over 2024. Domestic tourist visits reached 2,50,58,366, clocking a growth of 12.64 percent,” Shri Satheesan said.
Referring to the potential of ecotourism, the Chief Minister said the state has to promote forest tourism, jungles lodges and trekking and similar verticals in a sustainable manner as Keralam’s unique features.
“We want to integrate all the ports and make entire Kerala into a port city. At least 50 percent of the logistics can be shifted to the sea,” he said.
Noting that port development is a major component of tourism, Shri Satheesan said the government has given nod to Cochin Port to set up a cruise terminal and another one is on the anvil in Kozhikode. In the second phase, the cruise segment will be expanded to 44 rivers of Keralam.
The CM informed that an international global convention centre will come up near Kochi airport.
While explaining about Muziris and Keralam’s maritime history, Shri Satheesan announced that an international maritime museum and an oceanarium will be set up in the city.
In his address, Shri Vishnunadh said KTM has grown into a significant meeting ground for the global travel community — a place where markets meet ideas, businesses meet opportunities, and destinations meet the people who take them to the world.
The Minister said with a record number of more than 3,000 buyer registrations and more than 400 seller stalls, KTM 2026 is poised to be the largest marketing platform for the Kerala tourism industry.
In 2025, foreign tourist visits to Keralam grew by 11.33 per cent over the previous year, while domestic tourist visits recorded a strong growth of 12.64 per cent.
Shri Vishnunadh said as part of promoting new tourism destinations, government will strengthen tourism infrastructure across 100 destinations, enabling more parts of Keralam to benefit from tourism.
Commenting on experiential tourism, the minister said during the next Onam season, ‘Be a Malayali for a Day’ initiative will be launched for tourists to experience Keralam by taking them through the traditional lifestyle and cuisine of Keralites.
On the occasion, Shri Liju assured that the Excise Policy of the government won’t have anything detrimental to the tourism industry.
This edition of the biennial event, which has recorded 3,000 plus registrations from India and abroad, marks the largest participation in KTM’s 25-year-long history and celebrates the synergy between the government and private enterprises in the tourism sector.
Kerala Tourism Secretary Shri Biju. K, who made a detailed presentation, said tourism destinations in Kollam will be developed on global standard.
On the occasion, Kerala Tourism Director M. Anjana released the ‘Sellers Directory’ brought out as part of the mart.
Ernakulam District Collector G. Priyanka; KTDC Managing Director and Kerala Tourism Additional Director Shri Sumith Kumar Thakur; former KTM presidents Shri Baby Mathew, Shri Jose Dominic, Shri E.M. Najeeb, Shri Riaz Ahmed and Shri Abraham George also attended.
KTM Society President Shri Jose Pradeep welcomed the gathering and Secretary Shri S. Swaminathan proposed a vote of thanks.
The business-to-business (B2B) meetings and exhibition as part of the mart will be held from September 25 to 27 at the Sagara and Samudrika Convention Centres on Willingdon Island.
The buyer registrations have crossed 3,000, and these include 1,200 hosted buyers and 300 non-hosted buyers. The mart will have 383 seller stalls representing tourism enterprises and 25 stalls of various government institutions.
More than 45,000 business meetings have been scheduled, aimed at attracting investments in Kerala’s tourism sector and visitors to the state.
This year’s KTM is operating on a new software system and mobile application, with registration, business meetings, seminars and other procedures fully digitised.
Post-mart tours to 12 major destinations across the state have also been arranged for selected participants from September 28 to October 3.
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