B2B Meet in Ahmedabad Sets Ground for Partnership Meets Across Key Markets
Ahmedabad : With the prime domestic tourism season all set to commence coinciding with the Dussehra and Deepavali holidays, Kerala Tourism has launched an extensive pre-season campaign with partnership meets and roadshows across the northern states.
The partnership meets will showcase Keralam’s emergence as a prime experiential tourism destination, with attractive tour packages and immersive holiday experiences on offer. Starting the outreach, Kerala Tourism hosted a pre-season tourism B2B partnership meet in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, presenting the unique features of Keralam as an attractive holiday destination that promises immersive experiences. Around 50 tourism stakeholders from the state engaged with representatives of the travel trade in Ahmedabad at the B2B meet, placing attractive deals and holiday packages on the table.
Adding a vibrant cultural dimension to the event, the B2B meet also featured a special Kerala cultural show with live performances by traditional artists, giving travel trade representatives a glimpse of the state’s rich cultural heritage, performing arts and traditions. The performances complemented the tourism showcase and brought alive the distinctive character of Kerala for the participating delegates.
The packages highlighted Keralam as a destination where travellers can experience multiple offerings during a six-night itinerary that takes them to scenic beaches, tranquil backwaters, breathtaking hill stations and enchanting forests, besides the picturesque landscape that marks the entire state. According to the latest tourism statistics and trends, 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 2025.
The outreach also emphasises Kerala Tourism’s strategic shift to firmly establish the state as a major experiential tourism hub, elevating the holiday experience of domestic as well as international tourists, Tourism Minister Shri P C Vishnunadh said. The minister said this in the context of the State Government’s decision to soon accord Industry status to the tourism sector, giving stakeholders greater leverage to redefine their packages.
“The focus of this campaign is to ramp up domestic tourist arrivals to the state during September-November season when the Dussehra and Deepavali holidays commence. Ranging from culture, heritage, places of worship and serene beaches to wildlife havens and culinary hotspots, Keralam promises an entirely immersive and unforgettable experience to visitors,” Shri Vishnunadh added.
The tempo set by the B2B meet in Ahmedabad will be followed by a series of travel trade networking activities, including participation in trade fairs and B2B roadshows to introduce new tourism products of Keralam to a wider audience. Media platforms such as TV, social media, print and radio are also being leveraged as part of the outreach.
Apart from Ahmedabad, B2B meets will be held in Vadodara, Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Jaipur, Surat and Nagpur from September to November. The upcoming campaign has been planned amid global endorsement of Keralam as a never-miss destination. A recent report by London-based Rough Guides listed Keralam as one of the world’s top 26 destinations to visit in 2026, citing ‘God’s Own Country’ as one of the most sought-after places in 2026.
In its 25 Best Experiences In 2026 report, reputed global travel guide Lonely Planet featured Keralam’s culinary culture among the top 25 best travel experiences to enjoy in 2026, making Keralam the only Indian state on this prestigious list. The B2B meets in Gujarat assume significance considering factors such as improved rail and air connectivity between Gujarat and Keralam. Roughly 20 connecting flights via Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai, along with direct flights from major airports in Keralam, including Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Kannur to Ahmedabad, facilitate the smooth flow of tourists, business travellers and visitors.
Moreover, Kerala Travel Mart (KTM 2026), scheduled from September 24 to 27, will provide a major opportunity for the travel and tourism trade community in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and New Delhi to discover and identify new tourism products, destinations and experiences.