Welcome to Kerala Travel Mart 2014

With the focal theme being Kerala as a wedding destination, Kerala Travel Mart Society is hosting the eighth edition of Kerala Travel Mart in Kochi

Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), India’s largest tourism buyer-seller meet, is a biennial event that has garnered a lot of attention in the tourism sector ever since its launch in 2000. Being the only travel mart in the country focusing on a single destination, KTM has always evoked an overwhelming response from both national and international participants over the years. And what makes KTM stand apart from other marts is the fact that it is organised by the various tourism stakeholders in partnership with the Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala.

The eighth edition of KTM 2014 was formally inaugurated by Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister, Kerala, on 17th September 2014 at Le Meridien Convention Centre, Kochi. The function began with a cultural extravaganza followed by the formal inauguration. Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister for Tourism, Govt. of India, was the chief guest while A P Anil Kumar, Minister for Tourism, Govt. of Kerala, presided over the function.

The central theme of KTM 2014 is Kerala as a wedding destination and a perfect destination for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions). Over 242 international buyers and 750 domestic buyers have already confirmed their participation for the event which is scheduled to begin at Samudrika Convention Centre, Willingdon Island, Kochi, from 18-20 September 2014. Parvez Dewan IAS, Secretary, Tourism, Govt. of India, will be the Chief Guest at the valedictory function on 20 September 2014.

“Although UK, Germany and France top the list of international buyers, unlike the previous years, we have tapped relatively new markets this year. Apart from Latin American and Scandinavian countries, Argentina and Australia are some of the newer market we hope to explore this year. This will definitely boost Kerala tourism in a big way”, says Abraham George, President, Kerala Travel Mart Society.

Over the years, KTM was attended by more than 1200 buyers and the numbers are expected to grow with each passing year. KTM 2014 will undoubtedly be a great platform for B2B networking, as the whole event has been streamlined in a manner to make it more productive.

Highlights of KTM 2014

This edition of KTM will present Kerala in a ‘village theme’, giving a glimpse of the rural life of Kerala. The village life will be recreated with a live demonstration of village products and crafts such as coir making, pottery making, rice cultivation, village crafts and hatching with coconut fronds. According to George, presenting the village life in this manner is expected to boost the rural tourism.

Four seminars are being planned during the three days of the mart, engaging the audience in a variety of interesting topics such as Responsible Tourism, Muziris & Tourism, a panel discussion on Ayurveda and future of Kerala.

The Post Mart FAM Tours from 21-24 September to seven different circuits is another major highlight of the mart.  Buyers are taken to different destinations for a true feel of Kerala and they in turn can market to their national and international clientele.

Kerala's unparalleled tourism products and services such as Ayurveda, home-stays, houseboat services, rural tourism, medical toursim and so on, have always found many takers across the world. Local exhibitors like hotels and resorts, tour operators, ayurvedic resorts, speciality hospitals with varying tourism products of Kerala are looking to cash in on this tourism meet.