Let's summer in Kerala, Habibi: Kerala to woo Arab tourists to boost tourism during monsoon

Offering up the prospect of summering in the cool green monsoon-kissed state to tourists from the scorching sultry deserts of Arab and other Western Asian nations, the Kerala government is readying an aggressive marketing campaign to woo them ahead of summer vacation in the Gulf region that starts next month.

Since Kerala has clocked a record arrival of domestic tourists, it will now aim to steeply raise the footfall of foreign tourists, State Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas is quoted as saying in a release issued by his department.

The captivating landscape, the cool monsoon weather and Ayurvedic wellness are the USPs that the tourism department is hoping to cash in on with the foreign tourists from the Gulf.

"This campaign aims to sustain the flow of tourists from the Middle East by providing them a unique experience," Riyas is quoted as having said.

Also Read | 166% rise in foreign tourist arrivals in India in 2023 for January-April period: Tourism Minister

"The aggressive marketing campaign is aimed at wooing travellers to 'God’s Own Country' during July and August when the rainy season makes the state’s weather pleasant in contrast to the scorching Middle East during the same period.

As such, West Asia is a "highly promising market" for promoting Kerala's monsoon tourism, the tourism department said.

"The campaign is expected to result in an influx of Arab tourists to the captivating landscape of Kerala, where the cool air makes the stay ideal for Ayurveda-based wellness as well," it said in the release.

To make it happen, the government has sanctioned Rs 7 crore to carry out the marketing campaign, which would be primarily focused on airports at Dubai and Doha, it said.

Besides that, monsoon tourism would also be widely advertised across print, radio and visual media in the Gulf, it added.

As a prelude to the campaign, Kerala Tourism had showcased a wide range of its products and themes in Dubai last month during the 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market.

It had also conducted road shows in Riyadh, Dammam and Muscat and the early-May events helped to reinforce Kerala's global reputation as a major experiential tourism hub, the release said.

"Kerala Tourism also plans to work out attractive packages for Arab tourists, who often turn up in large groups and spend their vacation in specific destinations. In 2019, around 1.5 lakh tourists from Middle East countries visited the state," the department release said.

Kerala’s resurgence as a global travel destination in the post-pandemic phase got a massive endorsement when the New York Times and Time Magazine listed the state among the must-visit places in 2023, the release said.