Kerala Tourism and stakeholders of the tourism industry have suffered another setback with the cancellation of ITB Berlin, the world’s largest tourism trade fair, the first ever in 54 years due to the spread of COVID-19. The news of the cancellation of the five-day fair, which was to commence on March 4, reached the State when Secretary, Tourism, Rani George was to lead an official delegation from the State to Messe Berlin.
As many 13 trade partners representing hotels, resorts, and Ayurvedic centres were part of the official delegation that was to fly to Germany next week.
Roadshows
Kerala Tourism while deciding to postpone roadshows in Amsterdam, Milan, and Madrid, scheduled for the second week of March for promoting the destination, the other day has decided to attend ITB Berlin.
“It is a big concern for the tourism industry as no one wants to miss ITB Berlin as it is a global platform to promote the destination and tourism products. Besides, Germans account for 6.04% of foreign tourist arrivals to the State in 2018 and Germany is one of the key source market for us,” Director of Tourism, P. Bala Kiran told The Hindu. Kochi-based tour operator and a member of the National Tourism Advisory Board, Abraham George, who had been attending the ITB Berlin for the last four successive years and independently marketing South India, says the setback due to cancellaton of the trade fair is huge for the travel and tourism industry. “International movement is going to be restricted to 75 per cent in the coming one year and the loss will be reflected in Kerala as well. We lost an opportunity to take advantage of the setback in China”, he added.
Anish Kumar P. K, leading tour operator and Managing Director of ravel Planners, who had taken space in the India Pavillion at ITB Berlin, said the industry had suffered another jolt. Kerala Tourism is yet to take a call on attending Salon Mondial du Tourisme in Paris from March 12 to 15 and the three-day 27th Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition from March 17.
