Foreign arrivals rise 11%, Kerala eyes 9L mark

Thiruvananthapuram: Foreign tourist arrivals to Kerala rose 11.33% from 7.78 lakh in 2024 to 8.21 lakh in 2025, and the state govt is targeting 9 lakh arrivals this year, said Biju K, Secretary, Kerala tourism department. He was speaking to reporters ahead of the Global Travel Market, a B2B meet scheduled for June 3–5 in Thiruvananthapuram. While international arrivals have not yet recovered to pre-Covid levels, tourism revenue has grown, with the state earning Rs 50,000 crore in 2025 compared to Rs 46,000 crore in 2024. Biju said that the state may see a setback in tourist arrivals as the war in West Asia has impacted the Middle East hub, but it can be overcome by intensifying promotion. He further said that Kerala currently draws visitors from the UK, USA, Oman, France, Malaysia, Australia, and the Maldives. Russia and Germany are emerging as key sources of high-spending wellness tourists, he added. Domestic tourism has seen strong growth, with 2.5 crore visitors in 2025—a 34% increase over the previous year, Biju further said. Tourists from Tamil Nadu accounted for 11.19% of domestic arrivals, followed by Karnataka at 6%. Visitors also came from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi, and West Bengal. The state is also expanding its promotional footprint in Southeast Asia and exploring regional tourism cooperation. M R Narayanan, president of the South Kerala Hoteliers Forum, said discussions are underway with Sri Lanka and the Maldives to jointly market the destination. "Sri Lankan ministers are expected to attend the Global Travel Market," he said. The expo will focus on hospitality, adventure tourism, heritage, cuisine, culture, and wellness. Over 1,000 domestic and international buyers and 300 corporate buyers are expected to participate. The event will offer opportunities to generate sales leads, launch new products, network with key decision-makers, build brand awareness, and gather market intelligence.