September 8, 2017 TnH Global

International Homestay and Rural Tourism Travel Meet in Kochi

Kerala Tourism will organise the second edition of the International Homestay and Rural Tourism Meet in Kochi from September 15. The three-day event, scheduled to be held at Bolghatty Palace, is expected to be attended by 1500 participants. State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran will inaugurate the second edition of the meet and welcome the participants from India and overseas market, Tourism director, P Bala Kiran told reporters.

Organised jointly by the Kerala Homestay and Tourism Society (HATS), the Travel Meet is envisaged to enhance the business opportunities in the state for home stay providers and serviced villas providing a platform to network with industry players. International Homestay and Rural Tourism Travel Meet is one of the largest B2B event for homestays and rural tourism in the country which will also be attended by national and international tour operators, entrepreneurs and destination management companies.

“Homestays are inevitable part of Kerala Tourism and help the industry to connect with the travel enthusiasts. The B2B meet is expected to discuss recommendations to boost the rural tourism sector”, he said. The general travel trend of tourists these days is not just a visist to the place but also to experience and live the experience, he said.

Once the sector grows with its potential, there would be a huge job opportunity in homestay business there by enhancing opportunities equally in Tourism sector, Sivadathan, Director, HATS said. The trends these days also show that most foreign tourists prefer such homestay facilities for a better living experience of the habitat, he added. During the B2B meet, seminars and discussions on the potential and challenges of the sector would also be organised.

Business partners from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand and Saudi Arabia are expected to join the domestic players from Jammu Kashmir, Tamil Nadu Coimbatore, Jaipur , Delhi and many more. The International Homestay and Rural Tourism meet is supported by the Department of Kerala Tourism with a financial aid of Rs 10 lakhs to conduct the event. The central government is also expected to provide some financial aid for the event, the officials said.

Kerala HATS had successfully conducted the first homestay and rural tourism travel meet in 2015 in Kochi which was attended by 80 sellers, more than 200 buyers from travel industry across India, according to an official release. Last year, the event registered a footfall of 4000 people. Kerala HATS is the first NGO ever to conduct a B2B meet in homestay category in India and has around 500 registered members as well as 800 approved homestays across Kerala.

The Kerala Homestay and Tourism Society has been promoting rural tourism and responsible tourism in Kerala for last nine years.