KOCHI: Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), which marked Kerala's decisive step towards ending two years of pandemic-riddled lull in tourism activities, concluded on Sunday. The valedictory function of the four-day event saw Chief Secretary VP Joy hailing India’s biggest buyer-seller meet as a springboard to regaining visitors after COVID-19.
"KTM-2022 has been an exemplary model for public-private partnership, triggering enthusiasm among Kerala’s tourism stakeholders. The government will provide the KTM Society and the tourism fraternity all its support," he said at Willingdon Island.
Noting that Kerala had topped among other states in the UN Human Development Index three consecutive times, Joy highlighted the role of tourists for ensuring steady progress of the state's economy. "We have beautiful nature as well as warm-hearted people. We must strengthen tourism infrastructure," he said.
KTM-2022 had delegates from 69 countries holding 55,000 business meets, brainstorming steps to rejuvenate tourism post Covid outbreak. National and international experts addressed four seminars.
KTM Society president Baby Mathew Somatheeram said KTM will be followed by travel package for 300 delegates to the state’s northern, central and southern regions. "We have also arranged a chartered flight to Kannur on Tuesday. The delegates will tour for a week and learn more about Malabar, which is our new focus area," he said.
KTM 2022, which featured 325 stalls that were open to the public since Sunday afternoon, provided a platform to around 1,500 buyers, more than 300 of them international.