The boat race, a signature event of Kerala, turned out to be a stellar attraction as Kerala Tourism showcased the state’s tourism offerings at the recently concluded tourism fair, FITUR in Madrid.
The stall of Kerala Tourism at the fair had recreated the theme of boat race.
“Our stall drew a huge response from the travel industry and the general public alike. We had fruitful discussions and meetings with the industry partners in Spain. They were quite inquisitive about the boat race, serene backwaters and the Ayurveda rejuvenation therapies. They have agreed to send more tourists to Kerala by including our destinations in the travel packages,” said U V Jose, director, Kerala Tourism, who led a delegation of officials and various tourism stakeholders to the annual fair.
Vinod Zutshi, secretary, Union Ministry of Tourism, and D B Venkatesh Varma, Indian ambassador to Spain, were among the visitors to the Kerala pavilion.
This was the 13th year on the trot that Kerala Tourism participated in FITUR.
Eyeing growth in tourist arrivals from European countries, Kerala Tourism has also decided to hold road shows in Lyon (France) on January 24 and in Rome (Italy) on January 26.
“Spain has emerged as a major tourism market for Brand Kerala. We are confident of attracting tourists in large numbers from Europe and the rest of the world to our state in the current year as well,” added Jose.
In recent times, Kerala has witnessed a healthy increase in tourist arrivals from Spain.
In 2015, 14,187 tourists arrived in the state, registering a growth of 21.7 per cent compared to last year.