Mumbai: Kerala Tourism is gearing up to welcome a larger number of tourists from Maharashtra and other northern and western Indian states during the upcoming Dussehra and Diwali holiday season. As the major domestic tourism season gets underway, Kerala Tourism has planned an extensive promotional campaign featuring partnership meetings (B2B meets) and roadshows across various states.
At a partnership meeting held in Mumbai, around 50 tourism partners from Kerala participated and presented attractive travel packages. The special packages, spanning six nights, offer travellers a diverse range of experiences, including stunning beaches, serene backwaters, picturesque hill stations and forests.
Significant Growth in Tourist Arrivals
Kerala has recorded substantial growth in domestic tourist arrivals. Compared with the first quarter of 2025, domestic tourist arrivals increased by 10.98% in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026.
Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunath said the state government’s decision to grant industry status to the tourism sector soon would provide greater support to entrepreneurs and stakeholders. He added that the primary objective of the campaign is to increase domestic tourist arrivals during the September-November season. Kerala offers travellers enriching experiences through its culture, heritage, pilgrimage destinations, wildlife sanctuaries and distinctive cuisine, the minister said.
Major Promotional Campaigns
Following partnership meetings held in Ahmedabad and Vadodara last month, meetings have now been completed in Mumbai as well. B2B meetings will also be held in Pune, Delhi, Jaipur, Surat and Nagpur during October and November. Extensive advertising campaigns are also being carried out through television, print, radio and social media platforms.
Kerala has also been included in the Rough Guides list of 26 must-visit tourism destinations in the world. In addition, Kerala is the only Indian state featured in London-based Lonely Planet’s list of the 25 Best Travel Experiences for 2026.
Improved Connectivity
Improved air and rail connectivity between Maharashtra and Kerala is contributing to the growing flow of tourists. In addition to direct flights from Mumbai to major Kerala airports such as Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Kannur, around 20 connecting flights are also available via Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai.
