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The eighth edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) is scheduled to take place from September 18-20, 2014 at Samudrika Convention Centre, Cochin Port Trust, Willingdon Island, Kochi. The department of tourism, government of Kerala has partnered with the Kerala Travel Mart Society in hosting this event which brings together business entrepreneurs behind the tourism products and services of Kerala on a single platform. Held once in two years during September, KTM is one of the largest gathering in the tourism industry of Kerala that facilitates the meeting and interaction of buyers and sellers. Tour operators, hotels, resorts, homestays, houseboats, Ayurveda resorts, cultural art centres and many others will showcase their products at the mart. This year, KTM promises to reach out to buyers from new markets like Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Sweden and USA.
Over the last 13 years since the first mart, KTM has attracted over 1,000 international buyers, who have established business partnerships among various sections in the tourism industry of Kerala. The previous edition, KTM 2012, was attended by more than 1,250 buyers. This year the mart will highlight innovative tourism products like village life experience, culture tours and destination wedding themes. A big turnout of MICE operators, wellness and adventure tour operators is expected at KTM 2014. In a move aimed at promoting MICE tourism, the Kerala Government had cut luxury tax on convention centres and auditoriums with a daily rent exceeding Rs 20,000 to 10 per cent from 20 per cent in the state budget announced in January this year. The Hosted Buyer Programme is a unique component of the show and it provides buyers an opportunity to meet exhibitors of their choice for one-on-one sessions.
