Sep 24th – Sep 27th, 2026
The drums erupt in a thunderous rhythm, the beats matching the electrifying atmosphere, while the clarion call of the Kombu (trumpet) fills the air, heralding the grand celebrations of the evening.
The Kathakali dancer flutters his eyes, beckoning with a tantalising come-hither gaze. Beside him, the Theyyam artiste is no less hypnotic. His face, painted in blazing reds and intricate patterns, seems to summon the ancient spirits of Kerala itself, while a gentler looking King Maveli welcomes onlookers with a benevolent smile and open arms, embodying the warm hospitality of Kerala.
Every two years, the lure of Kerala brings together travel and tourism professionals, media personalities and passionate travellers from across the globe to Kerala Travel Mart, the biennial extravaganza held in Kochi, Kerala, India.
For a few blissful days, wars being fought in distant lands, borders that divide nations and differences of race, religion, community and caste seem to fade into the background. Within a little corner of Kochi, a microcosm of the outside world fleetingly comes into being, with people from various countries and cultures coming together in bonhomie and camaraderie, united by a shared passion for travel and tourism. It is almost as if this tiny space has been briefly insulated from the strife, turmoil and trauma of the world outside and has turned into a short lived yet veritable piece of paradise in God’s own country (as a very secular Kerala proudly calls itself), the way God surely intended it to be!
And that my friends, is the timeless magic of travel, with its ability to make strangers less strange, make borders feel quite seamless and to remind us that despite all our differences, it is still possible to coexist in peace and harmony.
So join me at the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), a specialized trade exhibition focused entirely on the tourism and hospitality business and be as enthralled as I am, at the pomp and glory with which the state of Kerala is showcased and celebrated.
I have been privileged to be a part of this KTM twice in the past, once at KTM 2018 where Kerala had just emerged from the double whammy of devastating floods and the Nipah virus but had bounced back with a vengeance and also at KTM 2022 where it did a Phoenix yet again after the world had emerged from the Covid pandemic.
Fortunately this time there was no such disaster preceeding the event and Kerala or Keralam, as it has been renamed in the interim, pulled off yet another edition of what is known as the largest tourism event in the country with the aplomb that is characteristic of every travel mart which it has conducted over the years.
For good measure, do go through my earlier posts and follow the evolution of the KTM which only grows bigger and better with time!
About Kerala –
Kerala is a tiny sliver of a state on the South West coast of India. Its small size however, belies its boundless opportunities for exploration, encompassing a remarkable variety of landscapes that have always made it a tourist’s paradise, eminently justifying its tagline – God’s Own Country.
On August 25th, 2026, Kerala was officially renamed as Keralam and since the change is so recent, I surely can be forgiven for holding on to the earlier name here, by force of habit!
About the Kerala Travel Mart –
For those who have (still) not read my earlier posts on KTM, below is a small recap of what it represents.
Tourism plays a major role in boosting the Kerala’s economy and hence there arose a need to have a mechanism to enable the its promotion in the state. Thus in the mid 90’s, was born the Kerala Travel Mart Society which was a cohesive network of members who hailed from various tourism based categories like hotels, resorts, tour operators, travel agents, houseboats, homestays, airlines, event companies, tourism associations and also the Kerala state tourism department.
The Society acts as the spokesman on behalf of Kerala’s tourism industry and apart from other activities related to promoting the cause, it also organizes and conducts the biennial Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), which is one of the largest exhibitions in India. Its main goal is to market Kerala by showcasing the products of its various members via exhibitions. The first of these marts was held in the year 2000.
Tour operators and media partners are invited to the mart both from India and internationally. Pre and post event Fam(iliarization) trips are arranged by the KTM for media as well as buyers and they are given an up close and personal interaction with the products and destinations that they will sell through their words and their travel companies respectively.
After my first experience at KTM2018, I was privileged again to be a media invitee at KTM2022 which was held from May 5th – 8th at the usual Samudrika and Sagara Convention center, Cochin, Kerala, India.
And here I am yet again for my third time at KTM2026, so read on to experience the 13th edition of the mart, through my eyes and experiences.
The 13th edition, the KTM2026 –
I was a guest of the KTM, as a part of the media and I began my experience there with the Media Fam tour which began on Sep 20th and ended on Sep 24th.
The tour ended in time for the formal inaugural session and grand dinner on Sep 24th at the capacious Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Center that adjoins the Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty (read my blog) and is managed by the Hyatt group.
The actual Travel Mart was formally declared open on Fri Sep 25th at the same venue as the previous KTM, the Samudrika and Sagara Convention center.
The day ended with a gala dinner hosted at the Le Meridien Kochi.
The KTM went on for the next 2 days, concluding with the Valedictory ceremony on Sun Sep 27th, 2026.
After the conclusion of the event, the hosted buyers were taken on a post mart tour from Sep 28th to Oct 3rd, where they covered 12 regions of Kerala and obtained a first hand experience of Kerala’s tourism products.
Pre event Fam trips –
Thoughtfully curated routes that showcase Kerala’s varied topography, destinations and wellness experiences, are the highlights of the media experience. In order to optimally showcase the features that Kerala has to offer, there were 3 Fam trips that were organized for the media, prior to the exhibition. Each group was accompanied by a specialized tour assistant who would escort the group throughout the trip. This time’s routes were classified into the 3 regions namely North, Central and South Kerala.
I chose the Central Kerala Fam tour, which was the very same tour which I had opted for at both my earlier KTMs but then Kerala always has something new to offer even on tried and tested trails and this time too it did not disappoint.
For more stories of my adventures, await my post on KTM2026 – Media Tour and be as entranced as I was, on my ‘yatra’ through God’s Own Country.
Sep 24th – Inauguration of the KTM2022
Video encapsulation –
The Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Center is spread across a gigantic 10 lakh (1 million) sq ft and is said to be the largest of its kind in India. It can accommodate 10,000 people, has 3 helipads and can park over 1500 vehicles.
The Grand Hyatt itself is a premium waterfront resort that rises imposingly out of the Bolgatty island and offers a selection of lavishly appointed rooms, suites and even villas, spread across 26 acres of the island, with stunning views of the surrounding waters and beyond.
The program began with typical pomp and ceremony, by welcoming the guests at the entrance with traditional drumbeats and local dances.
Indoors, the grand opening ceremony commenced with a majestic showcasing of the cultural essence of Kerala through a vibrantly curated tapestry of various local art forms. Featuring cameos of dances, rituals and ancient martial arts like Kathakali, Mohiniattam, Mappila Kolkali, Theyyam, Pulikali, Kalaripayatu and other cultural displays, over 160 artistes performed on the stage against the backdrop of vignettes of Kerala traversing the large background screen. The performances were presented in the true spirit of secularism, seamlessly spanning across all communities and cultures that belong to Kerala.
The stage then made place for the dignitaries of the evening and gracing the dais were the Chief Minister Shri V D Satheesan (the chief guest), the Tourism, Culture and Cinema Minister Shri P C Vishnunadh (the presiding dignitary), Cooperation and Excise Minister Shri M Liju (the guest of honor), Director of Kerala Tourism and Special Secretary to the Culture Department Smt M Anjana, Kerala Tourism Secretary K Biju, Union Tourism Ministry Joint Secretary S Harikishore, Secretary of KTM Shri S Swaminathan, KTM Society President Shri Jose Pradeep, former KTM presidents Shri Jose Dominic, Shri Baby Mathew, Shri E M Najeeb, Shri Abraham George and Shri Riaz Ahmed.
Also present were Managing Director of KTDC and Additional Director General of Kerala Tourism Shri Sumit Kumar Takur, District Collector of Ernakulam Smt G Priyanka, the Mayor of Kochi Municipal Corporation Adv. Minimol V K, along with MLAs Shri Tony Chammany, Shri T J Vinod, Shri Mohammed Shiyas and Shri Deepak Joy.
The function began with the chanting of the invocation prayer by Shruthi K S, followed by the lighting of the inaugural lamp by the Chief guest Shri V D Satheesan.
Shri Jose Pradeep made the welcome speech, followed by speeches by various dignitaries.
Shri P C Vishnunadh mentioned the need to showcase lesser known destinations with plans to develop infrastructure across 100 new destinations. He also spoke of promoting Experiential tourism beginning with the next Onam festival through an initiative called ‘Be a Malayali for a day’ where tourists could experience the event by participating in the traditions and partaking of the Sadya (culinary feast).
Shri M Liju, the guest of honor spoke of how the excise policies would be made favorable towards the cause of tourism while not compromising on safety and social responsibility.
Shri K Biju’s speech was coupled with an audio visual presentation that spanned various landscapes of Kerala, with glimpses of its many travel products.
The key note address was delivered by Shri S Harikishore also appreciated the efforts of the KTM and offered a few suggestions like creating a One stop online shop of sorts which would present the annual calendar of tourism related events/products to whoever wanted to plan and book their trips in advance. He also advised on conducting mini KTMs through the year, encompassing different verticals like destination weddings, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events), festivals and so on.
Smt Anjana released the Seller’s Directory.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Shri S Swaminathan.
The inaugural session was followed by the signature sumptuous and lavish dinner that is served at every KTM inauguration, with a section dedicated to showcasing the best of Kerala cuisine and also multi cuisine options to suit the global community and of course the vast and stunning dessert counter that totally boggled the mind and made it very complex for vacillating minds to choose 😎
Live bands and free flowing spirits served alongside the free flowing mighty Vembanad lake, added to the magic of the night.
Sep 25th – Day 1 of the KTM2026 at Samudrika and Sagara Convention Center, Willingdon Island
Check out the glimpses in this video –
The actual Travel Mart was formally declared open on Fri Sep 25th at the same venue as the previous KTM. The Samudrika and Sagara Convention center is located within the premises of the Cochin Port Trust close to the backwaters of Willingdon island and is available as a venue for large gatherings personal as well as official.
Visitors were greeted at the entrance of the Mart by glimpses of Kerala in various forms and were presented with interactive and immersive activities where they could participate in art forms like pottery, mural painting, mehndi, applying Kathakali makeup, weaving etc.
This was followed by the section with the registration counters, which then led to the stalls.
The layout as usual was organized into 5 blocks, A to E and the stalls were laid out in 3 rows across the longitudinal strip of the convention center, finally leading to the food court.
As always, the 3 day event encompassed a showcasing of products via seller stalls, various seminars led by domestic and international industry experts and also meetings between hundreds of sellers and buyers, both International and Indian.
It was truly inspiring to witness the buzz of activity which optimistically signified the potential businesses and tourism associations that were likely to manifest in the near future.
The first two days of the KTM were only for registered participants but the last day Sep 27th, was thrown open to the public.
The KTM has always grown bigger and better by the year and this edition naturally was celebrated as the largest so far in the mart’s 25-year history with a total of over 3000 delegates comprising around 800 registered international buyers spanning 60 countries and around 2250 pan Indian domestic buyers, participating in an unprecedented 58,000 business meetings. There were 383 private seller stalls and 25 government sponsored stalls showcasing resorts, hotels, wellness retreats, homestays and regional tour operators.
The key focus this time was the application of AI in the tourism industry. As always, responsible and inclusive tourism was also on the agenda.
Another distinct characteristic of this edition was its comprehensive digital transformation. All fundamental operations, encompassing user registrations, seminars, scheduling B2B meetings etc, were executed through newly implemented software and a specialized mobile application.
Networking dinner at Le Meridien Kochi –
The day ended with a gala dinner hosted at the Le Meridien Kochi, an upscale 5 star hotel with posh facilities for both leisure and business travellers. The 18 acres of land also include the adjoining banquet hall that sprawls across 60,000 sq ft and can play host to 5000 guests.
Live bands which included a high energy performance under intense strobe lights and ear shattering music 😎 and also another band crooning soothing Old Bollywood numbers, accompanied the vast dinner spread, while alongside, the cocktails made for a heady evening in this mini world comprising of international and Indian guests.
The KTM went on for the next 2 days, concluding with the Valedictory ceremony on Sun Sep 27th, 2026.
KTM contacts –
More details of the KTM can be availed at from their KTM website and KTM Facebook Page and KTM Instagram
Please Note –
On this trip I was hosted by the Kerala Travel Mart Society and partnering hotels, as a media invitee and I thank them for the hospitality. My narration is based on the inputs I received from various sources as well as my personal experiences.
For more pictures see My Facebook – Kerala Travel Mart KTM2026-An Overview
Also catch me on My Twitter and My Instagram
Sep 24th – Sep 27th, 2026
