Kochi to Host Indo-Arab Connect as Kerala Targets Middle East Tourism Market

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Seeking to deepen Kerala’s engagement with the Middle East travel market as its key inbound tourism segment, Kochi will host Indo-Arab Connect 2026 from August 31 to September 2.

Releasing the logo of the event here, Minister for Tourism, Cinema and Culture P C Vishnunadh said tourists from Arab countries will play a critical role in the future growth of Kerala’s tourism economy.

Chief Minister V D Satheesan will inaugurate the event on August 31.

The largest Arab tourism trade event of India, Arab Connect 2026 is organised by Tourism India Media Group, in collaboration with Kerala Tourism, industry associations, and major airlines.

“Arab tourists will be a major catalyst for the growth of segments such as Ayurveda, medical tourism, luxury tourism and the souvenir industry,” the minister said, highlighting the strategic importance of the market for the state.

Arab travellers already contribute significantly to Kerala’s inbound tourism and are particularly valuable because they tend to visit during the state’s traditional off-season between June and September, helping stabilise tourism revenues throughout the year, the Minister noted.

The logo was jointly received by Shri EM Najeeb, President of the Kerala Medical Value Travel Society, and Shri Jolly Antony, representing the Association of Arab Tour Operators.

The summit aims to boost Kerala’s pull among Middle East travellers across tourism, Ayurveda, medical value travel and luxury hospitality.

The summit will open with an inaugural session led by Chief Minister VD Satheesan and chaired by PC Vishnunadh, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh, along with his counterparts from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Puducherry will attend as chief guests.

A highlight of the summit will be its B2B networking platform, which will bring together 200 tour operators from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan and Iran, alongside 500 domestic buyers representing tourism, hospitality, Ayurveda and medical tourism sectors.

More than 300 exhibitors are expected to participate, including stakeholders from Kerala, other South Indian states, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, as well as ambassadors and trade representatives from nine Arab nations.

Following the summit, participating tour operators will undertake familiarisation trips across Kerala from September 2 to 9, experiencing first-hand the state’s Ayurveda resorts, medical tourism facilities, backwater destinations, and luxury hospitality offerings.

According to Rasheed Kakkad, President of the Association of Arab Tour Operators, travellers from Arab countries consistently rank among the world’s highest spenders on accommodation, dining and shopping. Despite geopolitical uncertainties in parts of the Middle East, outbound travel demand remains strong, with Kerala-bound bookings expected to increase in the coming season, he added.

Ravisankar KV, Managing Editor of Tourism India Media Group, said the objective of Indo-Arab Connect 2026 is to provide Arab travel trade decision-makers with an immersive experience of Kerala’s tourism ecosystem, particularly in Ayurveda, medical value travel and luxury hospitality.

The organisers have set an ambitious target of attracting 300,000 Arab tourists to Kerala in the near future, with a projected economic impact of more than ₹25,000 crore for the state’s economy.