Kerala Sets Target of 2 Lakh Arab Tourists and ₹5,000 Crore Revenue Following Indo-Arab Connect B2B Meet

Kerala has set a target to attract two lakh Arab tourists next year, with expectations to generate nearly ₹5,000 crore in tourism revenue. The announcement comes in the wake of the Indo-Arab Connect B2B Meet, which was inaugurated by Minister for Tourism and Cultural Affairs P. C. Vishnunath.

The Arab travel segment has emerged as one of the state's fastest-growing inbound markets. In 2025, Kerala hosted 1.22 lakh Arab tourists, generating more than ₹3,000 crore in tourism revenue. Oman notably overtook Germany and France in 2024 to enter Kerala’s top 10 inbound markets, a trend that has continued alongside steady growth from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Organisers noted that Arab travellers have made a substantial contribution to both Kerala’s GDP and India’s foreign exchange earnings. To sustain this momentum, the recent Indo-Arab Connect summit brought together more than 162 tour operators from 10 Arab countries and nearly 200 Indian stakeholders, including hoteliers, resort operators, Ayurveda centres, and houseboat operators. The event facilitated 16,632 business meetings.

The summit was jointly organised by Tourism India Media Group, the Association of Arab Tour Operators (AATO), and the Association of Medical Tourism Facilitators (AMF). The inaugural session was attended by Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan. The event drew participation from over 175 leading tour operators and travel agents from 10 Arab countries—including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE—alongside more than 100 exhibitors from India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.

Association of Arab Tour Operators President Rasheed Kakkad stated that the summit is expected to play a key role in achieving the targeted two lakh arrivals and ₹5,000 crore revenue milestone next year.

Looking ahead, the second edition of Indo-Arab Connect is planned for April next year. Ravishankar K. V., Managing Editor of Tourism India Media Group and Chief Coordinator of the event, announced that road shows will be conducted across Arab countries in the coming months in partnership with Kerala Tourism to prepare for the upcoming edition. Organisers have set a broader target of generating ₹25,000 crore in business from the Arab market over the next three to five years.

"Kerala's focused engagement with the Arab tourism market demonstrates a structured approach to regional economic growth. By connecting local hospitality and wellness providers directly with international operators through targeted B2B platforms, the state is effectively converting inbound tourism into a major contributor to regional GDP and foreign exchange earnings. Scaling this strategy through planned international road shows will be key to meeting their long-term revenue targets." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes