The Kerala Travel Mart 2012 will not just be a platform for the big players but it will also provide the opportunity for 107 small time players who can sell their products to international and domestic buyers. The Mart will see around 371 sellers in toto.
The small time players include those who operate Ayurveda centre, farmstays, homestays, small time hoteliers, houseboat owners, tour operators and travel agents.
"We have made special arrangements for the small time players at the KTM to help sell their products. Preference has been given to them in this mart and they have been given stalls close to the entrance so that they can attract maximum buyers", said KTM 2012 president Riaz Ahmed.
The small time players will be introduced to a range of sellers and will be given the opportunity to conduct B2B interactions with them. "The big players have already fixed online appointment with the buyers," added Ahmed.
The seventh edition of the biennial event, which began on Thursday, aims to give first-hand info on tourism prospects in the state. Around 2,196 buyers including 508 foreign players comprising airline personnel, tour operators, and travel agents are expected to attend the four-day-long meet to be held at Hotel Le Meridien. There will be 108 tables, 296 modules and 12 houseboat parking bays. All the houseboat parking bays, modules and tables have already been sold out.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said that the tourism development in the state has achieved monumental success owing to public-private-participation.
“This year, we have added another ‘P’ to the list- people’s participation,” he said.
He was delivering the inaugural address at the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) 2012 through video conferencing here on Thursday. “Kerala has made a mark in responsible tourism, benefiting the local communities along with the stakeholders at the tourist destinations,” Chandy said.He said that the conservation of environment, especially in the tourism sector, will be given paramount importance.
The Chief Minister pointed out that in the recently concluded ‘Emerging Kerala’ meet, the tourism projects received maximum response from the investors.
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