Kochi, Sept. 28: Foreign tour agents at the ongoing 12th edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) here are deeply impressed by Kerala’s huge potential as a preferred destination for honeymooners, saying they intend to promote this fascinating facet of the state in their respective countries.
According to them, apart from Ayurveda, honeymoon packages are the much sought-after product from the state’s tourism sector. During the September 26-29 event at the Sagara-Samudrika Convention Centre in Willingdon Island, they are mainly scouting for exciting honeymoon packages for their clients.
Ms Veronica Rioseco, Tour Agent of Nomades Chile in Chile, who has travelled across India before, is visiting Kerala for the first time to market the state’s honeymoon destinations.
“We are focusing on Kerala’s honeymoon packages and family holiday packages. Normally, South American people go to Golden Triangle (Jaipur, Agra and Delhi) but rarely come to South India. But now the scenario is changing,” she observed.
Ms Rioseco said the pristine beaches, picturesque landscape, different people, balmy weather and boating through the backwaters of Kerala are ideal for making it a hub of honeymoon destination. She came to know about KTM during her visit to India Travel Mart (ITM).
Mr. Diego Celma, of Increble Mundo from Spain, said most of his clients are couples and they prefer Kerala for honeymoon trips. This has forced him to introduce a special tour package connecting India and the Maldives. “After arriving in India, they can spend time in Kerala for honeymoon before proceeding to the Maldives. My package for Kerala consists of a mix of adventure activities like scuba diving also,” he said.
Mr. Celma, a regular attendee at KTM, also revealed that the state’s honeymoon packages have a bigger market in Spain.
Mr. Peter Foster, a representative of UK-based Those Travel Guys, said along with the wellness package, sporting package is also a major selling point for Kerala. “One of the problems of UK doctors is that they don’t recognize holistic therapy and traditional medicine. Most of our clients are interested in spiritual healing and organic food, so the popularity of Ayurveda is growing,” he noted.
Mr. Foster said the young generation of UK doctors are hardly sceptic about Ayurveda, and post COVID-19, the zoom and Google meetings are helpful for patients to consult with their physicians in India.
As a second-time visitor in Kerala, Ms Olga Gabrus, of Kailash from Russia, divulged that Ayurveda packages have great demand in her country and she wants to promote it there.
Of the 808 foreign buyers from76 countries at KTM 2024, 67 are from the UK, 60 from the Gulf and 55 from the US. While the buyers from Russia total 34, those from the rest of Europe total 245. There are 41 buyers from Africa; others are from East Asia. Maharashtra (578) tops the domestic buyers, followed by Delhi (340) and Gujarat (263).
The buyers at this edition of KTM clocked the highest-ever total of 2,839 (vis-à-vis the standing record of 1,305 in 2018), while the domestic category adds up to 2,035.
The expo at the mart will be open for the public on Sunday (September 29) from 2 pm.
