KOCHI: The 13th edition of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) 2026 is set to bring together hundreds of international and domestic tourism buyers with Kerala's tourism industry in Kochi from September 24 to 27, with more than 45,000 business-to-business meetings already scheduled and the organisers expecting the total number of B2B interactions to reach around 50,000.

The four-day tourism and hospitality trade event will be inaugurated on September 24 by Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan. The inaugural programme will be held at the Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty, while the main business sessions will take place at the Sagara and Samudrika Convention Centres on Willingdon Island from September 25 to 27.

800 International and 2,250 Domestic Buyers

According to the latest figures released ahead of the event, 800 international buyers and 2,250 domestic buyers have registered for KTM 2026. A total of 383 tourism sellers have completed their stall bookings, while 25 additional stalls representing government institutions will also be present at the mart.

The participation provides Kerala's hotels, resorts, tour operators, houseboats, homestays, destination management companies and other tourism enterprises with an opportunity to establish business connections with travel companies from India and overseas.

The event is designed to facilitate direct interaction between buyers and sellers and create opportunities for tourism marketing, business partnerships and new travel products.

Kerala Plans 100 New Tourism Destinations

A major announcement ahead of KTM 2026 is the Kerala Government's plan to develop 100 new tourism destinations over the next five years, at a target of approximately 20 destinations every year.

Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunadh said the new destinations would be identified in consultation with tourism industry stakeholders, with infrastructure development planned at the selected locations.

The expansion is intended to diversify Kerala's tourism map and introduce new destinations and experiences to domestic and international markets.

Focus on Wellness, Ayurveda and Experiential Tourism

KTM 2026 will highlight a broad range of Kerala's tourism products, including wellness and Ayurveda, responsible tourism, adventure tourism, leisure, culture and experiential travel. The official KTM programme also includes discussions on inclusive and accessible tourism, artificial intelligence and its impact on the tourism industry, changing customer expectations and social responsibility.

Destination weddings are another area receiving increasing attention, with Kerala seeking to strengthen its position in this growing tourism segment.

Familiarisation Tours Across 12 Regions

Following the main event, international buyers will participate in post-KTM familiarisation tours from September 28 to October 3 covering 12 regions of Kerala.

The tours are intended to give visiting buyers first-hand exposure to Kerala's tourism products and destinations, enabling them to develop new itineraries and travel packages for their respective markets.

With thousands of buyers and tourism enterprises participating, KTM 2026 is expected to provide an important platform for Kerala's tourism industry to strengthen international and domestic trade connections and showcase new tourism products.