Tourist arrivals in Keralam post modest growth; foreign footfall remains sluggish

Given the current growth trend and the arrival figures of previous years, it could take Keralam a few more years to regain its pre-pandemic foreign tourist arrival figure of 11.89 lakh recorded in 2019. (file)

Amid shifting fortunes in the global travel industry, driven by fast-paced geopolitical developments, Keralam, a popular tourist destination in south India, recorded modest growth in tourist arrivals in the first six months of the calendar year. Domestic tourist arrivals registered a 10.47% increase, while foreign tourist arrivals grew by just 8.3% compared to the corresponding period last year.

Although tourist arrivals witnessed an increase over the previous year, the relatively modest growth rates indicate that the State’s tourism sector is likely to register only marginal growth this year, if the current trend is any indication, and the recovery in foreign segment would be relatively long.

The domestic tourism segment, which has been recovering rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassed its pre-pandemic figures in 2022 itself, recording 1.88 crore arrivals against the previous peak of 1.83 crore in 2019.

This was followed by impressive growth of 15.9% in 2023 and 12.64% in 2025. However, 2024 witnessed a meagre growth of 1.72%, against the backdrop of the worst-ever landslide disaster in Keralam’s history. The tragedy, which occurred in July and claimed around 298 lives, largely discouraged tourists from visiting destinations in the hilly terrain during the subsequent tourism season.

Compared with the average growth recorded in the domestic tourism segment during the post-pandemic period, the 10.47% growth in tourist arrivals during the first half of 2026 indicates a moderation in the pace of recovery.

The real challenge, however, lies in the foreign tourist segment, which registered growth of just 8.3% up to June 2026 compared to the corresponding period last year. This is considerably lower than the growth rates of 11.33% and 13.76% recorded in 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Speaking to The Hindu, a senior Tourism Department official said the slow growth rate in the foreign tourist segment was a matter of concern, considering that the State had managed to recover only around 70% of its pre-pandemic foreign tourist arrivals last year. In contrast, several competing destinations have already surpassed their pre-pandemic arrival figures. Sri Lanka, for instance, recorded an all-time high of 23.62 lakh tourist arrivals in 2025.

Given the current growth trend and the arrival figures of previous years, it could take Keralam a few more years to regain its pre-pandemic foreign tourist arrival figure of 11.89 lakh recorded in 2019.

Geopolitical developments and uncertainty in West Asia have compounded the challenges faced by the State’s tourism sector. A large proportion of foreign tourists visiting Keralam rely on Dubai or Doha as transit hubs, owing to the absence of direct flight connectivity between the State and destinations in Europe and the United States. Moreover, the number of Arab tourists visiting Keralam has witnessed a slight decline in the wake of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the official said.

However, the tourism industry remains hopeful of an improvement in the situation in the coming years, including during the current tourism season, which has just commenced and will continue until March.

Tourism stakeholders are also looking for active support from the State government, particularly in launching an aggressive global promotional campaign for Keralam and ensuring that tourist destinations across the State are maintained in a clean and hygienic condition, said James Kodianthara, former chairperson of the Kerala chapter of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO).