Kerala Travel Mart (KTM 2026) gets off to a flying start in Kochi

Kerala Travel Mart (KTM 2026) gets off to a flying start in Kochi;
Target of 10.5 crore tourists in five years: Chief Minister
Kochi: The 13th edition of the country’s leading tourism and trade fair, Kerala Travel Mart (KTM 2026), got off to a grand start at the Bolgatty Grand Hyatt, Kochi.
Chief Minister VD Satheesan, while inaugurating the mart, said that the aim is to increase the number of tourists to Kerala to 10.5 crore in the next five years. The Chief Minister added that the target is to increase the number of foreign tourists to 50 lakh and the number of domestic tourists to 10 crore.
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Cinema P.C. Vishnunath presided over the function. Minister for Cooperation and Excise M. Liju was the chief guest.
The Chief Minister said that along with increasing the number of tourists, quality tourism centers and new tourism products will be increased. Eco-friendly tourism opportunities such as jungle lodges, trekking, and bird watching that do not harm the environment will be utilized while preserving the biodiversity of the Western Ghats.
The government aims to expand tourism by combining the coastal area and backwaters, and to prepare international cruise tourism circuits centered around Vizhinjam and Kochi. A world-class convention center on the model of Singapore will be built in Nedumbassery, and an oceanarium and marine museum will be built in Kochi. In addition, he announced that Muziris, which is a historical site of the ancient spice trade route, will be developed into a prominent heritage and research center at the international level.
The Chief Minister pointed out that Kerala achieved excellent tourism growth in 2025. 8,21,999 foreign tourists and 2,50,58,366 domestic tourists visited the state. This recorded a growth of 11.33 percent and 12.64 percent respectively. The Chief Minister said that in the new phase, extensive opportunities will be provided to youth with professional job skills and air connectivity will be increased.
The government aims to highlight the uniqueness and features of Kerala’s tourist destinations and transform them into globally distinctive brands, Tourism, Culture and Cinema Minister P.C. Vishnunath said. Just as ‘Brand Wayanad’ is being formed by combining Wayanad’s forest wealth and culture, Kerala’s travel opportunities will be redefined by giving each region a unique identity. This will pave the way for tourists to experience the diverse aspects of Kerala beyond traditional sights.
As part of the focus on the development and promotion of new tourism destinations, excellent infrastructure will be provided at 100 destinations in the state within five years. By strengthening infrastructure in this way, the economic benefits of tourism can be directly brought to various parts of Kerala and to the people.
The minister said that the government is building a new tourism ecosystem that will open up endless opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs and private partners. The minister clarified that the next move is to develop Onam, the grand festival of Kerala, into a major tourism season that is noteworthy at the international level.
The ‘Be a Malayali for a Day’ project, which invites tourists to experience the uniqueness of Kerala, including boat races, tiger dances and sadya, will add new dimensions to this. Tourism stakeholders will be able to market Kerala during Onam to tourists from all over the world through these experiential campaigns, Minister Vishnunath added.
Excise Minister M Liju, who was the chief guest at the event, assured that the state government’s liquor policy would not harm the tourism sector. He also said that the government is committed to creating a safe tourism environment for all.
MLAs Tony Chammini, T.J. Vinod, Muhammed Shias, Deepak Joy, Kochi Corporation Mayor Adv. Minimol V.K and others attended the function. Union Ministry of Tourism Joint Secretary S. Harikishore delivered the keynote address. Kerala Tourism Secretary K. Biju made a presentation on Kerala Tourism and Kerala Tourism Director M. Anjana released the ‘Sellers Directory’ as part of the mart. Ernakulam District Collector G. Priyanka, KTDC MD and Kerala Tourism Additional Director Sumit Kumar Thakur, KTM former presidents Baby Mathew Somatheeram, Jose Dominic, E.M. Najeeb, Riyaz Ahmed and Abraham George were present. KTM Society President Jose Pradeep welcomed the gathering and Secretary S. Swaminathan also expressed his gratitude. The inaugural session also featured attractive cultural programs prepared by 150 artists.
The 12th Kerala Travel Mart in Kochi is expected to attract over 1,500 buyers from across the country and beyond. After the official inauguration, the business-to-business (B2B) meetings and exhibitions as part of the mart will be held at the Sagara and Samudrika Convention Centres on Wellington Island from September 25 to 27. The fair will feature 383 vendor stalls from tourism entrepreneurs and 25 stalls from various government agencies including Kerala, Tamil Nadu and India Tourism. Over 50,000 pre-scheduled business meetings will be held over the four days using digital systems, including new software and a mobile app.