Tourism holds diverse opportunities in Kerala, Chairman and Managing Director of Santa Monica Group Denny Thomas Vattakunnel said on Thursday while speaking at the 'Trending Businesses in the Travel Sector' session of the Malayala Manorama Sampadyam Kerala Business Summit.

"It's not just health or adventure tourism; Kerala has untapped potential in pilgrimage tourism, folklore tourism, culinary tourism, and language tourism. From Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, we have unique art forms, cuisines, and linguistic diversity. Even Kerala's own toddy can be marketed like Goan feni. We must remember that lakhs of cashew apples go to waste here every year," he said.

Kerala also has centres that can attract pilgrims from around the world. While European countries face a six to seven-month tourism season due to weather conditions, Kerala benefits from a climate suitable for tourism year-round, Vattakunnel noted.

ADVERTISEMENT

Santa Monica enters travel & tourism

This year, Santa Monica plans to organise travel experiences to 193 countries, Vattakunnel revealed. These destinations, which are less familiar to Malayalis, come at a relatively low cost. “Post-Covid, there has been a significant rise in overseas travel among Malayalis. This is a positive trend. It helps identify Kerala's growth potential in tourism,” he said.

Under the brand 'Santa Monica Fly', the company has ventured into travel and tourism. Over 20,000 people travel abroad for education annually, and securing airline tickets has been a major challenge. Recognising this as an opportunity, Santa Monica entered the travel sector. Beyond students, their parents and relatives are also frequent travellers, creating a large consumer base.

ADVERTISEMENT

Rupee depreciation & overseas education

The recent depreciation of the Indian rupee has impacted the financial status of travel and tourism agencies, leading to losses. However, Vattakunnel stressed that overseas education will never decline. Even policy changes in Canada will not deter the demand, as the country continues to need skilled professionals.

"The US is poised to offer more opportunities in the future. The country requires skilled Indians, and this trend will only grow," he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

TAGS

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.