KOCHI: The three-day biennial business to business (B2B) meet organised by Kerala Homestay and Tourism Society (K-HATS) aimed at helping home stay entrepreneurs to connect with travel enthusiasts will begin in Kochi on Friday. “The first-ever homestay B2B held in 2015 was a grand success. The meet attracted more participants than we expected. This is the only platform in Kerala where homestay entrepreneurs can showcase their property and services before a wide range of customers, travel agents and other stakeholders in the tourism industry. As many as 800 clients have already confirmed their presence at the meet.,” said M P Sivadathan, director of K-HATS.
He said the homestay B2B meet was different from the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM). ‘’While the KTM showcases services offered by major players in the hospitality sector, home stay B2B is meant to cater to the marketing needs of small-scale entrepreneurs who run their business from their homes.
All delegates, including foreigners, will be provided accommodation at the homestays at Fort Kochi. This year we have delegates from Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand,” said Sivadathan.
The conference will be inaugurated by Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran at Bolgatty Palace hotel on Friday . K-HATS founder chairman K V Thomas MP will preside over. MLAs Hibi Eden, S Sarma, John Fernandez and Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain will participate in the inaugural session. The event is supported by the Kerala Tourism Department.According to K-HATS statistics, there are more than 850 approved homestays in Kerala which together offers more than 3,500 rooms of international standards. Homestays are classified in three categories- diamond, gold, and silver on the basis of the amenities offered.