Experts Highlight Road Infra, Marketing as Key to Boosting Kerala’s MICE Tourism & Destination Weddings

Swift Summary

• Kerala has emerged as a potential hub for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, but stakeholders cite poor road and bridge infrastructure as a major hindrance.
• Traffic congestion near MICE venues is a significant problem. Experts stress the need for enhanced marketing campaigns to promote this high-revenue and low-carbon tourism segment.
• Prasanth Vasudev, former Deputy Director of Kerala Tourism, suggests forming a high-power committee to address infrastructure bottlenecks and improve government-backed marketing strategies for MICE tourism.
• Corporates should be targeted for conferences in Kerala by creating a database of suitable venues. Destination weddings were also identified as another lucrative opportunity that could capitalize on smaller-scale intimate events suited to the state’s infrastructure limitations.
• Jose Dominic of CGH Earth group highlighted Rajasthan’s dominance in hosting large-scale destination weddings but suggested Kerala focus on smaller intimate events due to its weaker infrastructure. He also pointed out the challenges posed by monthly liquor ‘dry days’ during multi-day events like weddings or MICE gatherings.
• Tourism sources acknowledged that sustainable solutions such as decongesting urban areas will be essential to avoid scenarios like Bengaluru’s traffic woes. Still, they see opportunities in leveraging Kerala’s four airports and Kochi’s standing among India’s top 15 MICE destinations.

Indian Opinion Analysis

Kerala’s vision of positioning itself as a prime destination for MICE tourism reflects forward-thinking given the growing global appeal of eco-conscious travel options. However, realizing this ambition faces significant hurdles due to inadequate road conditions and urban mobility issues around event venues-a recurring challenge across India’s rapidly urbanizing states.

A well-coordinated approach involving both infrastructural growth and integrated marketing campaigns may unlock opportunities not just in attracting large corporate clients but also enabling diverse offerings like boutique destination weddings tailored to overcome current capacity limitations. Meanwhile, addressing policy friction points such as liquor restrictions through practical measures will add adaptability vital for sustaining growth in higher-end tourism activities.

With its multiple international airports providing logistical ease yet grappling with overcrowded cities reminiscent of Bengaluru’s struggles-questions arise on how inclusively development can translate into long-term dividends without environmental trade-offs or uneven regional benefits.

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