Russia has been an important market for Kerala Tourism and the partnership is bound to gain further strength in the post-pandemic era as the state is set to further expand its tourism map, State Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas has said.

He was inaugurating the Indo-Russian Travel and Tourism fair at the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

“The fair will definitely strengthen the bond between India and Russia. Kerala is one of the favourite destinations for Indian travellers. More than one lakh Russian tourists visited Kerala as per the 2019 figures,” the minister said.

Tourism is one of the most significant sectors that contributes to the economic growth of the state. The tourism sector alone contributes Rs 45, 000 crores to the state GDP and provides employment to more than 15 lakh people.

“The Tourism department has been making great efforts to regain international tourist falls in this post-Covid revival stage,” he said.

Kerala Tourism’s speedy revival after the pandemic was made possible by exploring unexplored destinations and promoting existing ones globally.

“The Indo-Russian Travel and Tourism Fair is expected to further strengthen Russia’s cooperation in developing the state’s tourism,” Riyas said.

The fair is organized by the Honorary Consulate of the Russian Federation, Thiruvananthapuram, and the Russian House in association with the State Tourism Department and the Russian Embassy. It is conceived as a platform for B2B discussions for sellers operating in the hotel, resort, Ayurveda, and houseboat sectors and tour organizers and buyers from Russia. It also facilitates interactive sessions on the travel and tourism industry for experts from both countries and enables the exchange of ideas and business leads.

Counsel General of Russia, Southern India, Oleg Avdeev, said Kerala can claim to be a unique tourism destination, given the various tourist attractions and its cultural diversity.