Travel expo begins in Kerala

A three-day international travel exhibition that opened here Thursday kick-started the new tourist season in Kerala, a little earlier than usual.

'This is the first time such an event has been organised in the state capital and this is certainly going to be the launch pad for the forthcoming tourist season,' said Peter Paul, director of Estuary Island, a premier resort near Kovalam.

Hitherto all tourism exhibitions were held at Kochi. Around 60 stalls of various players in the tourism industry of the state are on display this time. The event was inaugurated by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation chairman Cherian Phillip.

The tourist season in Kerala normally begins by the end of October and extends till end of March.

'But this year we had an excellent monsoon and then the Onam season also has been good. From the bookings we have got for the new season, we feel this spell could well be the best Kerala tourism have ever had,' said Jojy Mathew, director of Rainbow Cruises that owns 15 houseboats.