Thiruvananthapuram: Tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran said on Tuesday that the 2018 edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) will be held from September 27 to 30, 2018 in Kochi. The three-day conclave, organised by KTM Society in partnership with Kerala Tourism, will have Malabar Tourism promotion as the main theme, the minister said. “There is a big scope for growth of tourism in Malabar with the inauguration of the Kannur airport next year. The government is planning to implement many projects in Malabar, the main one being the “Nadhithada” tourism project that focuses on nine rivers in northern Kerala,” Mr Surendran said.
“The government has allotted '38.5 crore for this project,” he added. The exhibition will have around 400 stalls featuring a range of products, packages and services offered by businesses and entrepreneurs. Public Private Partnership (PPP) being the main highlight of KTM, it offers a platform for stakeholders, including tour operators, hotels, resorts, home stays, houseboats, Ayurveda resorts and cultural art centres to have fruitful meetings and interactions with buyers from around the world, Mr Surendran said.
The nine point charter, ‘Agenda 9’ for action calls for measures to tackle waste management, promote organic farming, efficient use of energy and extensive use of local produce and products. Other key areas in the checklist are rain-water harvesting, reducing the use of plastics, and improving greenery, Mr Surendran said.
