Kerala Tourism Promotes New Travel Circuits Linking Wayanad, Coorg, And The Nilgiris

As India heads into the festive travel season, Kerala is looking to draw visitors with itineraries that go beyond its familiar backwaters, beaches, and hill stations. From heritage trails tracing centuries of spice trade to new tourism circuits connecting destinations across state borders, the southern state is expanding its offerings ahead of the Dussehra and Diwali holidays.

The tourism department presented its latest experiences and packages at a business-to-business partnership meet in New Delhi on October 13, bringing together tourism stakeholders to explore opportunities for the upcoming peak season. Under the theme ‘A Wonderful World’, the event highlighted Kerala’s push towards experience-led travel, combining its natural landscapes with culinary traditions, cultural heritage, and emerging destinations.

Kerala Tourism Additional Director General Sumit Kumar Thakur presented the state’s tourism offerings, with an emphasis on itineraries that allow visitors to experience multiple destinations over a week-long trip. The initiative comes amid rising domestic travel demand, with the state recording a 10.98 per cent increase in domestic tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the corresponding period in 2025.

Beyond Familiar Kerala

While Kerala’s beaches, hill stations, and houseboat cruises remain central to its tourism appeal, the state is promoting a wider range of experiences to encourage travellers to explore beyond its established destinations. The latest packages bring together natural attractions, cultural landmarks, food traditions, and heritage sites, giving visitors more ways to plan a multi-day holiday.

One of the key offerings is the Kochi-Muziris heritage network, which explores Kerala’s historic maritime connections with West Asia and the Mediterranean. The region’s centuries-old spice trade shaped its cultural exchanges, and the heritage trail offers visitors an opportunity to understand these influences through its historic sites and trading centres.

Culinary tourism is another area gaining international recognition. Kerala was the only Indian state featured in Lonely Planet’s ‘25 Best Experiences In 2026’ report, with its food culture included among the guidebook publisher’s recommended travel experiences for the year. The recognition adds to the state’s efforts to position local cuisine and regional traditions as central to the visitor experience.

New Routes Emerging

Kerala is also looking beyond its own borders to develop collaborative tourism circuits. The proposed connections include destinations with shared geographical and cultural characteristics, such as Coorg and Mysore in Karnataka and the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. Tourism links with Sri Lanka are also being explored, potentially creating broader itineraries that bring together destinations across regional boundaries.

The approach builds on the state’s recent ‘Brand Wayanad’ initiative, launched earlier in October. The campaign highlights the natural environment, heritage, agricultural practices, and cultural traditions of Wayanad, a district in northern Kerala bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Alongside these initiatives, Kerala is developing circuits around cultural, historical, and spiritual landmarks. A calendar of cultural events and traditional festivals is also being promoted to help travellers plan visits around specific celebrations and local experiences. By linking destinations and activities, the state hopes to encourage longer stays and distribute visitor spending across a wider range of locations.

The government is also preparing to introduce a policy framework granting industry status to tourism, a long-standing demand from businesses in the sector. According to Kerala Tourism Minister P. C. Vishnunadh, the proposed move is expected to encourage greater investment in the state’s travel and hospitality industries.

Preparing For Growth

As visitor numbers rise, Kerala is also working to improve the accessibility of its tourism infrastructure. The state says it has been upgrading facilities to make tourism more accessible to travellers with different mobility needs. The use of artificial intelligence and digital tools is another part of this effort, with technology intended to improve access to travel information and simplify package planning and logistics.

The focus on infrastructure and investment comes as the state prepares for the Dussehra and Diwali travel period. Tourism Secretary Bju K said Kerala was ready to welcome more visitors through its expanded range of products and packages, while Director Anjana M noted that the department’s outreach campaigns across India had received a positive response.

For travellers planning a festive-season holiday, the expanded portfolio offers several ways to experience Kerala, whether through its established coastal and backwater destinations, food-led journeys, historic trading centres, or emerging cultural circuits. The state’s challenge will be to translate this growing range of experiences into itineraries that encourage visitors to explore beyond the familiar stops and discover more of what Kerala has to offer.

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