Keralam tourism sees slow foreign visitor recovery as domestic numbers rise

UPDATE - follow-up to Tourist arrivals in Keralam post modest growth; foreign footfall remains sluggish: Domestic tourist arrivals in Keralam grew by 10.47% in the first six months of the year, while foreign arrivals increased by just 8.3% compared to the same period last year.

Growth and Challenges

The domestic sector had earlier surpassed its pre-pandemic figures in 2022 by recording 1.88 crore arrivals, followed by 15.9% growth in 2023 and 12.64% in 2025. However, growth slowed to 1.72% in 2024 due to a massive landslide disaster in July that claimed about 298 lives and hit travel to hilly areas. The 10.47% rise recorded in the first half of the year shows a slowdown in the domestic recovery pace.

Foreign Tourism

The foreign segment faces a bigger hurdle, registering only 8.3% growth up to June compared to 11.33% in 2025 and 13.76% in 2024. A senior Tourism Department official told The Hindu that this slow pace is worrying because the State recovered only about 70% of its pre-pandemic foreign arrivals last year. Rival destinations like Sri Lanka hit an all-time high of 23.62 lakh arrivals in 2025. Keralam may need a few more years to match its 2019 peak foreign arrival figure of 11.89 lakh.

Factors and Industry View

Global political shifts and uncertainty in West Asia add to the travel troubles. Many foreign visitors transit through Dubai or Doha because direct flights to Europe and the US are missing, and Arab tourist numbers dropped slightly due to the ongoing conflict in the region. Even so, the industry hopes for better numbers during the ongoing tourism season that runs until March. James Kodianthara, former chairperson of the Kerala chapter of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, urged the State government to run a strong global promotional campaign and keep tourist spots clean.

Context

Tourism is a major economic driver for many regions in India, providing jobs and revenue for local businesses, hotels, and transport providers. Rebuilding visitor numbers often requires steady infrastructure improvement, effective marketing, and stable regional security to restore traveler confidence.