Stepping up the global outreach with its highly rated products and initiatives, Kerala Tourism made a big impact at FITUR, the world’s second most important tourism fair now underway in Spain’s capital Madrid.
Reinforcing its position as an all-season experiential tourism destination and unlocking new opportunities in the Spanish travel market in particular, Kerala’s pavilion themed ‘The Magical Every Day’drew a steady stream of visitors including business delegates, right from the opening of the five-day fair on January 24.
FITUR, considered to be the world’s second most important tourism fair, had in the past substantially helped the state to flaunt its destinations and packages before the world, leading to win-win business deals. Spain itself is an important market for Kerala touching around 18947 arrivals in pre-pandemic 2019. Of late, arrivals have shown a steady uptick in recouping from the global disruption wreaked by COVID-19.
The Kerala Tourism delegation is led by Mr. PB Nooh, IAS, Director, Kerala Tourism. The Kerala Pavilion, occupying 100 sq.m space, stole the show with a gigantic installation of a pair of bulls seen in Kerala’s temple festivals, called the Kettukala in local parlance.
“For Kerala, this edition of FITUR has proved a resounding success as our business partners had a busy schedule tying up highly rewarding partnerships. The result will be known soon enough as tour organisers from Spain and other countries are keen to tap the opportunities the state offers,” Mr. Nooh said.
In all, nine trade partners from Kerala presented their tour packages and properties at the fair. They are Abad Hotels and Resorts, Amara Ayurveda Retreat, CGH Earth, Hindustan Beach Retreats, Paul John Resorts, Santos King Tours and Travels, Somatheeram Ayurveda Group, Travel Corporation of India (TCI) and Xandari Resorts.
On the sidelines of the fair, Mr. Nooh held a discussion with UNWTO officials including Ms. Christine Brew, Programme Officer – Regional Department for Asia & the Pacific, UNWTO. Kerala Tourism’s participation in FITUR will be followed by a series of B2B meets in Barcelona, Milan, Paris, and London.
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