Kerala achieved a historic milestone in 2023, welcoming 2.18 crore domestic tourists, marking a remarkable 15.92 per cent surge from the previous year, announced Minister for Tourism and Public Works, P A Mohamed Riyas, on March 4.

In 2022, Kerala saw 1,88,67,414 domestic tourist arrivals, making the latest figure a significant 18.97 per cent increase compared to 2019, as highlighted by the minister during a press conference.

Breaking down the statistics for 2023, Ernakulam district topped the list with 44,87,930 domestic visitors, followed by Idukki (36,33,584), Thiruvananthapuram (35,89,932), Thrissur (24,78,573), and Wayanad (17,50,267).

International tourist arrivals also experienced substantial growth, reaching 6,49,057 visitors in 2023 compared to 3,45,549 in 2022, showcasing an impressive 87.83 per cent increase. Ernakulam district led in hosting international tourists with 2,79,904 arrivals, followed by Thiruvananthapuram (1,48,462), Idukki (1,03,644), Alappuzha (31,403), and Kottayam (28,458).

Minister Riyas attributed this success to the robust efforts of Kerala Tourism, driven by well-crafted policy initiatives and effective promotional strategies both domestically and internationally.

While acknowledging the positive trend in foreign tourist footfalls, Minister Riyas highlighted that despite a significant uptick, the numbers remained 45.45 per cent lower than pre-COVID-19 international tourist arrivals. He emphasised the impact of global conflicts on international tourism but expressed optimism, citing ongoing efforts and upcoming adventure tourism events in 2024.

(With inputs from PTI)