KOCHI: Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that tourism stakeholders can seek the service of Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) to strengthen their enterprises. He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the third International Conference on Tourism Technology (ICTT) in Kochi on Thursday.
According to him, Kerala’s strong startup ecosystem under KSUM has incubated several companies that have excelled in various sectors, including information technology.
“I call upon the delegates here to collaborate with the IT facilities we provide so that you can improve your business strongly and steadily,” he said.
Surendran said that ICTT will boost tourism in the state. “ICTT comes amid the state government giving prominence to MICE Tourism and Responsible Tourism,” he pointed out.
Hibi Eden, MP, stressed on the need for Kerala to advance further in the field of tourism and incorporate the latest technologies that promote the sector. Kerala Tourism Secretary Rani George said social media played a significant role in promoting tourism. “Since the past two years, we have been actively doing social media interaction. Kerala Tourism ranks fourth in getting maximum social media traction,” she said.
Kerala Tourism director P Bala Kiran referred to digital marketing as the “most cost-effective strategy” to attract an audience while entering a new market.
“ICTT conference was a learning platform for us to understand the importance of social media and innovation. It is very important for businesses to have a digital presence in today’s world and interact with the customers,” he said.
The two-day ICTT, being organised by the Association of Tourism Trade Organisations, India, (ATTOI) with the Kerala government’s Department of Tourism as the co-host, focuses on enriching the travel and tourism industrialists with updated skills related to web marketing and online resources to run business. With 200 delegates, it features eleven sessions addressed by many experts from abroad.