Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Sunday welcomed the world to experience the "soul" of God's own country, saying that the state was redefining travel through sustainability, responsible ecotourism, and community participation.
The CM extended his welcome by way of an X post on the occasion of World Tourism Day.
"On this #WorldTourismDay, Keralam welcomes the world to experience the soul of God’s Own Country. From our mist-clad Western Ghats and calm backwaters to a vibrant 600-km coastline, we are redefining travel through sustainability, responsible ecotourism, and community participation.
"May travel continue to build bridges, celebrate local cultures, and drive inclusive growth," he said.
Meanwhile, state Tourism Minister P C Vishnunadh said that Keralam will leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge digital tools to reshape tourism.
He said that in the current times, AI was increasingly shaping how people work, travel and connect and Kerala Tourism has leveraged innovative tools and platforms in promoting the tourism sector.
"Be it print, electronic or digital, we have made strategic use of communication tools to successfully promote God’s Own Country around the world.
"Never lagging in connecting to the technologies of the time, we have already started integrating our tourism sector with the AI and cutting-edge digital ecosystem to meet the demands and preferences of today’s tourists," the minister said in a statement.
He said that the aim is to see that tourists coming to the state are treated with a wholesome Keralam experience, marking a shift from the approach of promoting a few places and products separately through destination-focused packages and products.
In order to achieve the aim, new technology and platforms would be required to ensure seamless communication for easy access to services and information as well as hassle free travel experience.
"The Tourism Department, in collaboration with the stakeholders, has already started exploring how AI can help make our tourism sector smarter, more inclusive and sustainable. This will impart speed and scale to tourism activities in the state, in a highly competitive domestic and global scenario.
"The upcoming Tourism policy of the government will be giving greater thrust to the initiatives in that direction.The government’s decision to accord industry status to the tourism sector will certainly expedite this process," Vishnunadh said.
He said that the state government will also come out with programmes to promote startups in the tourism sector and this will also help to increase the youth engagement in tourism sector.
The industry leaders could help this process by supporting young innovators by providing funds and mentorship, he added.
"The new technologies can also be leveraged for improving the management of tourism destinations and infrastructure. We need to ensure that our travel and hospitality services follow the best management practices and world standards. Barrier-free access to tourism is also important," the minister said.
As part of that, the Tourism Department has already drawn up a programme to help homestays adopt technology-driven management practices to improve their quality, he said.
"Sustainability and inclusivity have been the core ideals of our tourism development. Integrating the ecosystem with cutting-edge technologies will certainly enhance the experience of visitors.
"That will also generate a lot of job opportunities in the sector. While setting out on this transformational journey, we also want to ensure that the service providers down the line are not left out." he said.
Vishnunadh also said that the state's Responsible Tourism (RT) initiative is globally appreciated and at the grassroots-level it has assumed the dimensions of people-driven movement.
"Local communities have contributed significantly in turning this segment into a lived experience. The RT has also helped economic empowerment of women. Considering this, we will roll out more initiatives to connect this key vertical with AI and digital platforms," he said.