KOCHI: Kerala is simply amazing, indeed! This is what is creating a buzz among international tour operators or ‘buyers’ at the Kerala Travel Mart, currently being held here. And the state also gained new fans – from the countries of the former USSR and the Balkan region. Some buyers from countries like Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine were visiting the state for the first time. They were certainly delighted.
Naclad Marius, originally from Romania, was one of those tour operators attracted by Kerala. “I had heard and read a lot about the state and decided to take a look,” he said, adding that he would organize a marketing campaign to promote Kerala.
“As we are a country located in a mountainous area, the preference will of course be for beaches,” Naclad said. “However, visitors would also like to experience the culture, gastronomy and traditions of the state.” Naclad noted that Kerala’s hospitality sector was top-notch. “From what I have seen and experienced, the facilities, people, destinations and packaging are excellent,” he said. “I’m looking for established travel management companies in the state. There are bloggers and vloggers who offer their services but, to provide a really good experience, I need people who will take care of the tourists from landing to departure.
Another enthusiastic buyer, Katarina Masri from Slovakia, said Kerala was a favored destination for tourists from her country. “As restrictions were lifted, I brought two groups from Slovakia in January and February,” said the tour operator, who was visiting Kerala destinations for the last two months. “Kerala is well known in its country for its wellness industry, especially Ayurveda.” Adventure tourism is also popular among Slovaks, she added. “Wellness and adventure tourism are in a 50:50 ratio,” she said.
At the same time, the economic crisis does not seem to affect travel prospects in the west, given the large number of shoppers from the UK (55) and the US (33) at the Kerala Travel Mart. Agreeing with this observation, British tour operator Chloe Holcroft said: “After being locked up for two years, people have extra cash on them. So when the barriers were lifted, people started inquiring,” she said, adding that most of those who approached her were newlyweds or people over 55.
Buying Countries
Ukraine -12
Kazakhstan -5
Slovakia – 4
Romania – 4
Lithuania – 3
Slovenia – 1
Uzbekistan -1
THE ELDERS
United Kingdom -55
United States -33
Poland -29
WATER -26
France -25
Russia – 23
Spain- 22
Malaysia -21
Germany -21
Australia -20