Kerala Sees Record Tourist Arrivals, Sets Sights on New Priorities
Despite significant challenges, Kerala recorded its highest domestic and international tourist arrivals in 2025, according to the state's tourism board, signalling strong growth and a renewed strategic focus.
By Suman Tarafdar
Kerala, or Keralam, for long one of the most sought after tourism destinations across the world, has just revealed that the post Covid recovery is firmly on track.
According to the latest tourism statistics, there has been an all-season surge in footfalls with the first quarter of 2026 (Q1) registering a 10.98 per cent increase in domestic tourist arrivals compared to Q1 of the previous year.
Data from the state’s tourism board reveal that 25.05 million domestic tourists visited the state in 2025, a significant increase from 22.24 million in 2024. Inbound tourism rose to 8,21,999 in 2025 from 7,38,374 in the previous year. However, this is still well below the 2019 figure of 11,89,771 visitors.
Kerala: Domestic visitors.
Kerala: Inbound visitors.
Kerala tourism’s strategic shift
The state government, which just concluded Kerala Travel Mart, the largest public private partnership of its kind, also unveiled its policy framework on according industry status to the tourism sector, making the state a safe, viable and sustainable investment destination for travel and hospitality industry.
“Getting industry status has been a long-pending demand of stakeholders in the sector. We expect this decision will yield a lot of investment,“ said PC Vishnunadh, Minister for Tourism, Cinema and Cultural Affairs Minister, Government of Kerala.
The tourism sector is particularly important for Kerala, which contributes about 12 per cent of the state’s GDP. The sector employs about 15 lakhs, making it one the largest employers in the state.
In 2025, the state earned र 50,702.34 crore, of which र 43,320.32 crore came from domestic tourists and र 7,382.02 crore from inbound tourists.
Earlier this month, the State Tourism Department had launched the ‘Brand Wayanad’ initiative, which brings to focus the natural beauty, heritage and agricultural and cultural traditions of upland Wayanad district in north Kerala, bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Wayanad will be a focus state, with the hill district as a distinctive global tourism destination built around its nature, culture, agriculture and indigenous heritage. It is, of course, also politically significant–it has been represented in Parliament by the current leader of opposition, Rahul Gandhi and now by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The government has also announced a policy of collaborating with other tourist destinations in the country, opening a new chapter in sustainable cooperation. As part of this strategic shift, joint tourism circuits connecting destinations with similar features, including regions like Coorg and Mysore in Karnataka, the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu and even countries like Sri Lanka, are being explored.
The ‘Brand Wayanad’ initiative brings to focus the natural beauty, heritage and agricultural and cultural traditions of upland Wayanad district in north Kerala.
Charting a new course
“The state is expanding its international outreach through business-to-business meetings, overseas roadshows and cultural showcases,” says Sumit Kumar Thakur, Additional Director General, Kerala Tourism, on the sidelines of “A Wonderful World” a networking event held in Delhi.
A string of new circuits traversing cultural, historical and spiritual landmarks have also been marked in Keralam’s tourism map. A calendar of cultural events and traditional festivals is also available, enabling visitors to choose the place and time as per their preference.
The state is well-prepared to receive an increased footfall this season, on the strength of new products and packages that will take visitors through a whole set of highly fascinating places and experiences, according to Biju K, Secretary Tourism, Govt of Kerala.
“Our outreach campaigns across the country have received good response, and we are confident that will be reflected during the unfolding season,” according to Anjana M, Director Kerala Tourism.
Kerala Tourism has introduced new packages and multi-destination itineraries for the Dussehra–Diwali holiday season, combining beaches, hill stations, backwaters, heritage sites and cultural experiences across the state.
