The business interactions at Indo-Arab Connect 2026 highlighted the rapidly expanding potential of the Arab market and its growing importance to Kerala’s international tourism strategy.
Addressing the summit’s business interaction session, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister P. C. Vishnunadh said the overwhelming response to Indo-Arab Connect demonstrated the strong and growing interest among Arab travellers and travel trade professionals in Kerala as a preferred destination.
Held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Kochi, the B2B programme brought together more than 162 tour operators from 10 Arab countries and nearly 200 Indian tourism representatives. The Indian delegation included hoteliers, resort operators, Ayurveda and wellness centres, houseboat operators and tour companies, creating a diverse platform for business networking and collaboration.
The event resulted in an impressive 16,632 business meetings, opening avenues for new partnerships, customised tourism products and stronger visitor flows between Kerala and the Arab countries.
According to AATO President Rasheed Kakkat, the initiative could help Kerala attract as many as two lakh Arab visitors next year, with the potential to generate nearly ₹5,000 crore in tourism revenue for the state.
Indo-Arab Connect 2026 was inaugurated on August 31, 2026, by Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan. Encouraged by the strong response to the inaugural edition, organisers have announced plans for the second edition in April next year.
The 2026 event attracted more than 175 leading tour operators and travel agents from 10 Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the UAE. More than 100 exhibitors from India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives also participated, representing a wide spectrum of the tourism and hospitality ecosystem, including hotels, resorts, hospitals and Ayurveda centres.
Taking Kerala to the Arab Market
The business summit is being complemented by a week-long familiarisation programme aimed at giving Arab travel professionals first-hand exposure to Kerala’s diverse tourism offerings.
Beginning September 2, the visiting delegates are travelling across key destinations in the state, experiencing its leisure, wellness, hospitality and cultural attractions. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala is scheduled to address the delegates in Munnar on September 3, where he will also inaugurate a collaboration between Kerala’s tourism and hotel industry and Operation Toofan in the presence of Arab representatives.
The promotional strategy is also expected to extend beyond Kerala. According to Ravisankar K. V., Managing Editor of Tourism India Media Group, a series of tourism roadshows is being planned across Arab countries in partnership with Kerala Tourism.
The larger ambition is to generate business worth ₹25,000 crore from the Arab market over the next three to five years. At the same time, Kerala aims to strengthen its position as a preferred destination for Arab travellers across multiple segments, including leisure, wellness, Ayurveda, medical tourism, hospitality and long-stay travel.
A High-Potential International Market
Kerala welcomed around 1.22 lakh Arab tourists in 2025, generating more than ₹3,000 crore in tourism revenue and making a significant contribution to the state’s economy as well as India’s foreign exchange earnings.
The Arab region has steadily emerged as one of Kerala’s most promising international source markets. Oman entered Kerala’s top 10 inbound markets in 2024, moving ahead of Germany and France, while arrivals from Saudi Arabia and the UAE have also continued to gain momentum.
Several factors are driving this growth. Improved air connectivity, increasing demand for wellness and Ayurveda, expanding medical tourism opportunities and long-standing cultural and historical links between Kerala and the Arab world provide a strong foundation for further expansion.
For Kerala, the opportunity now extends beyond conventional destination marketing. The focus is increasingly shifting towards developing sustained commercial relationships with the Arab travel trade, creating products tailored to changing traveller preferences and building stronger links between tourism, healthcare, hospitality and wellness.
Indo-Arab Connect 2026 represents an important milestone in this strategy. By bringing together tourism businesses, healthcare providers, hospitality companies, travel professionals and international partners on a single platform, the initiative is creating a stronger foundation for Kerala to deepen its engagement with the Arab world and unlock a new phase of international tourism growth.
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