DRKochi: “KTM is not a celebration, it is a business meet and for the same reason we are not cancelling it,” clarified Baby Mathew, President, KTM Society. The statement was made at a press conference held in Kochi on September 6. Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), India’s largest tourism sector conclave of stake-holders from across the world, will hold its biennial meet in Kochi from September 27 to 30.
Being held in the wake of the devastating floods that rampaged through large swathes of the coastal state, the tenth edition of KTM will focus on measures that would lead to a strong resurgence of tourism, which is the mainstay of Kerala’s economy, the president stated.
He added “The upcoming edition of KTM is intended to send a strong signal to the world that the state has the resilience and an indomitable spirit to take in its stride any adverse challenge and move forward. The event will send this message to the world through the delegates from as many as 73 countries arriving to attend it.”
The inaugural session of the four-day event, organised by the KTM Society in association with the State Tourism Department, will be held at Grand Hyatt, Bolgatty, on September 27. The event will see a series of Buyer-Seller Meets, seminars and policy deliberations which will take place at Samudrika and Sagara Convention Centre at the Willingdon Island.
Major topics to be deliberated at the seminars will include enhancing the green cover of the state, rainwater harvesting and reduction of the use of plastic. In its previous edition, the key themes of discussion included promotion of organic products, attaining energy efficiency and garbage management.
395 overseas buyers and 1,095 domestic buyers have registered as participants for this edition of KTM. The complete list of participants for the Buyer-Seller meet will be released on September 10. The new products launched by the state government like the Malabar River Cruise project, which focuses on nine rivers in north Kerala, will be showcased before the delegates at the event.
“Plans have been made for the accommodation of participants, with over a 1,000 rooms having been booked in top hotels in the city. Special arrangements have also been made for the large media contingent reaching the city to cover the event, including fully hosted tours to prime destinations across the state from September 23 to 27. As many as 20 media persons from abroad and 26 from different parts of the country will be reporting the event from the spot,” said Mr Abraham George, Former President and expert member of the National Tourism Advisory Committee (NTAC).
As part of its social responsibility mission, KTM Society has set up a Task Force for flood relief and rehabilitation efforts by bringing together 28 organisations from the tourism sector.
“The taskforce has pledged its total support to the state government’s mission to rebuild severely affected regions. It has also mobilised several teams to actively participate in cleaning up works, restoration of roads and mobilisation of relief materials,” said Baby Mathew.
Gopinath Rao, Treasurer, Secretary Jose Pradeep, Hari K C, Joint Secretary and Mallika Dinesh, Managing Committee member also attended the press meet.
