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.