India, South Africa, Brazil ink tourism pact...

The fifth edition of Kerala Travel Mart, the biennial event of showcasing the state’s tourism, saw good participation of stake holders in the tourism sector and inking of a trilateral agreement among India, Brazil and South Africa for co-operation in the tourism sector. The event, which began in Kochi on Saturday, would conclude on Tuesday.

Registration of tour operators and resort groups touched an all-time high with 1,300 titles — Indian as well as foreign. As many as 312 business stalls have been erected at Le Meridian Hotel, the main venue of the travel mart. Houseboat operators from Alappuzha backwaters showcased 16 high-end house boats. Kerala Tourism Secretary V Venu said the state would explore new foreign markets, apart from strengthening the existing ones.

He said road shows would be held in the coming months at Melbourne and another location in Australia, an emerging market as far as Kerala tourism is concerned. Besides, Canada and China were also on the radar of the state tourism industry to market the Kerala brand, he said.

Kerala Travel Mart Society president E M Najeeb said Kerala tourism had attracted an investment of Rs 1,500 crore in the past two years. Northern Kerala is also poised for a major leap in the tourism sector. At least, half a dozen resorts have come at Bakel beach in northern Kerala. The proposed green field airport in Kannur would give a further boost to tourism in North Kerala.

He said the state would participate in the International Tourism Bourse, to be held in Berlin early next year. As many as 25 tour operators from the state would go to the largest tourism mart in the world.

A major highlight of the four-day mart was the trilateral pact agreed among India, Brazil and South Africa, under the banner of IBSA, a development initiative between the three countries.

Union Tourism joint secretary Leena Nandan said the pact would promote co-operation in the area of tourism as well as provide for better understanding, goodwill and friendship between the three countries. She said the countries could also explore the possibilities of exchange of students and faculties of academic institutions.