Eyeing high-value, low-footprint tourism for Kerala, big push for MICE & weddings ahead

Sikha Surendran IAS, MD of KTDC, on state’s ideal positioning to compete with affluent international destinations.

Long celebrated as “God’s Own Country”, Kerala, is now scripting its next chapter — as India’s emerging destination for MICE and destination weddings. Courtesy of initiatives like the recently held KTM Wedding & MICE Conclave, the state is strategically positioning itself to attract high-spending, low-footprint travellers through targeted campaigns, capacity building, and international collaborations. Sikha Surendran, IAS, Managing Director, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) shares more details with T3.

In just a year since launching its “Shubhamangalam” campaign in 2022, KTDC’s seven premium properties hosted 375 weddings, signalling the state’s growing popularity among affluent couples. KTDC’s direction ahead is to focus on high-value travellers who bring in greater revenue with minimal environmental impact.

“Under Shubhamangalam campaign, the response has been encouraging. Through these initiatives and beyond, we’re targeting niche, high-spending groups who prefer exclusive, experiential destinations. Also, we are now looking to take this forward by strengthening our participation in international trade fairs dedicated to weddings and MICE, alongside our private partners,” said Surendran.

Even as large-scale events and weddings increase, Kerala continues to anchor its growth in responsible tourism practices. Most hotels source locally, employ from within communities, and maintain eco-friendly operations. “Our focus is always on low-footprint, high-value tourism. We train both hotel staff and local entrepreneurs to adopt sustainable practices,” Surendran emphasised.

Building MICE Competence

Parallel to its wedding tourism efforts, Kerala is stepping up its MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) segment. “Despite hosting global events like G20 Sherpa meetings, India’s global share in MICE stands at a modest 1–1.8%, leaving vast untapped potential. We want Kerala to fill in the gaps and claim its rightful space on the global MICE map,” Surendran asserted. “For that, we first need a structured approach, a database of venues, accommodation, transport, and services. The industry needs to engage international event planners early, as these global events are decided well in advance.”

Following recommendations from the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society, the state is also planning to establish a pilot city MICE bureau in Kochi. This body will coordinate stakeholders, collate data, and help pitch Kerala as a capable host for global conferences and conventions.

A dedicated MICE policy, Surendran revealed, is also in the works and will be presented to the government for cabinet approval. Once cleared, it will guide incentive structures and institutional support mechanisms. 

Marketing and Global Outreach

Kerala Tourism’s total marketing budget this year stands at INR 80 crore, of which an estimated INR 10–15 crore will be directed towards promoting MICE and destination weddings, she shared with T3.

“We have the natural beauty and infrastructure to compete with places like Thailand or the Maldives. What we need is stronger global visibility and strategic marketing,” said Surendran. “Kerala Tourism’s social media team has already proved its brilliance — we recently won the PATA Gold Award for Best Meme-Led Social Media Campaign.”

She added that Kerala’s next step would be to use digital influencers and youth-centric content to reach global audiences. The plans are on to extend similar campaigns for promoting MICE tourism.

While new data of tourist numbers is yet to be released, the official figures from previous records show that Kerala attracted 2,22,46,989 tourists in 2024, which marked an increase of 21% from the pre-pandemic period. In 2024, Kerala recorded 738,374 foreign tourist visits, reflecting a 13.76% increase from 2023. Among the top countries contributing the highest percentage of foreign tourist visits in 2024 were the UK, USA, Germany, France, & more.

Gender-Inclusive, safe tourism

Kerala recently became the first Indian state to launch a Gender-Inclusive Tourism Policy, developed in collaboration with the United Nations. Surendran, who led extensive safety audits on personal note across 72 destinations, shared that the initiative has been both bold and necessary.

“Our women teams walked the streets at night to identify unsafe areas — from lack of lighting and CCTV to absence of basic facilities like breastfeeding rooms and child seats. These findings are now shaping state investments,” she said. Several destinations will soon be announced as designated ‘Safe Zones’ for women and solo travellers.

Kerala’s approach also encourages women-led vendor participation and evaluates hotels on inclusivity — from the presence of female staff to child-friendly amenities.

Also acknowledging Kerala’s ageing population and the rise of multi-generational travel, Surendran noted that accessibility is now a priority. “We are working with the Social Justice Department and PWD to ensure that all new tourism infrastructure is elderly- and differently abled friendly,” she said. Thrissur district, she added, is piloting an initiative where even visually impaired travellers can experience attractions through sound-based interactions.

On the connectivity front, the National Highway expansion is slated for completion by December, and Kerala is also actively exploring enhanced connectivity options, including seaplane services, to improve tourist transfers and accessibility. However, Surendran admitted that airfares remain a deterrent. “We lose tourists to nearby countries because of high flight costs. We have raised this issue with the central government and are in talks with airlines to offer group discounts during the off-season,” she said.