KOCHI: Eurasia Beauty Queen Yana Filippova has been appointed Goodwill Ambassador for Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) to Russia. The Russian national said she is very impressed with the traditions, people and attractive places in Kerala.A professional singer, Filippova had conducted concerts at Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode recently. “I am fortunate to work as an ambassador of Kerala,” she told reporters here on Friday.“It is my third visit to Kerala. People here are very sincere and hospitable. Kerala has a rich tradition. I think every Russian should experience ayurveda and yoga in their life.”
She said people in Russia carry wrong notions about India and the people here, and fear coming to India. “Using Instagram and Facebook accounts, I will promote India and Kerala. We are also in discussion with universities in Kerala for conducting knowledge and cultural exchange programmes with universities in Russia,” she said.With Filippova being the Goodwill Ambassador, KTM president Baby Mathew said, more participation is expected from Russia this year.
“We are looking to appoint more goodwill ambassadors so that KTM can be popularised in different parts of the globe. This year, we are expecting buyers from countries like Australia, Russia, Japan, Canada and Israel from where turnout had been low in previous editions,” he said.KTM is slated to commence on September 27, the World Tourism Day. Focus this year will be on Malabar Tourism. The registration of buyers for the event started a few weeks ago, with 800 domestic and 230 international buyers having completed the registration proceedings so far. Registration closes on July 28.