About Kerala

The land of coconuts, Nature Lover's Paradise know as God's Own Country, is an untapped beauty in the southern tip of the subcontinent.

According to the government statics, Kerala attracts 5.8 million tourists per annum; a large number of them are foreigners. It generates an income of about USD. 1000 million and attracts more than 50,000 visitors from the United Kingdom. French and Germans find it alluring. In the first half of 2003 (January - July) Kerala recorded a 27% increase in arrivals - arrivals from France shot up by 22.8%, from Germany by 18.61% and from the UK by 8.64%. The enchantment of Kerala ensured increasing tourist flow despite September 11 and the SARS threat. While India suffered a fall in tourist arrivals by 11.14% across 2000/02, Kerala achieved an impressive growth of 10.78% during the same period.

Evaluations made by famous celebrities and Medias.
Paul McCartney                     : "Truly God's own country".
National Geographic Traveler   : "One of the ten paradises of the world".
Weekend FT - London,           : "Where the smart traveller goes".
Travel and Leisure - UK,         : "One of the hundred great trips of the 21st century".
The New York Times              : "Where India flows at a relaxed pace". 

Kerala was the first state in India to receive the status of Partner State of the World Travel and Tourism Council in 2000. Along with Hawaii and South Carolina, Kerala has joined the exclusive club of sub-national economies that have implemented Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA). Kerala Travel and Tourism demand is expected to grow by 11.6% per annum over the coming decade. This is the highest expected growth rate in the world.

Kerala is not just the number one tourist destination in India, it is also the country's most up-market tourist destination. The shift from mass tourism to quality tourism is one of the key achievements of Kerala Tourism. Realising that only a refined, mature audience can ensure the sustainability of this nature-dependent destination, the focus shifted about a decade ago to quality tourism. The aim was to dissuade the backpacker-hippie culture that invaded Kovalam in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Kerala Tourism added new destinations like Kumarakom and Munnar, launched innovative products like houseboats, tree houses and ayurvedic rejuvenation. It enticed up-market tourists through the tourism-trade in strong emerging markets abroad - London,
Kerala Tourism has won many international awards. To name just a few, the PATA (Pacific Association of Travel Agents) International award for marketing; the PATA Grand award for Heritage; and India Tourism's award for the best performing State in India three times in a row.