Kerala Travel Mart 2026 Draws 3,000 Buyers as Kochi Prepares for Major Tourism Business Push

Written By: Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar is a Senior Journalist at Travel and Tour World with more than 10 years of experience in travel and tourism journalism. A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, he combines strong research, industry knowledge and storytelling expertise to produce engaging, insightful and impactful travel news and fascinating feature stories.

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September 2, 2026 11:04 PM |

Image generated with Ai

Kerala is preparing to place its tourism industry firmly in front of a global travel trade audience as the 13th Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) 2026 takes place from 24 to 27 September 2026 in Kochi. The four-day event is expected to bring together hundreds of tourism sellers and more than 3,000 registered buyers, creating a substantial platform for destination marketing, business negotiations and new travel partnerships.

The event will be centred on the Sagara and Samudrika Convention Centres on Willingdon Island, while the wider programme will connect Kerala’s hotels, resorts, tour operators, houseboats, wellness businesses and other tourism enterprises with travel professionals from India and overseas.

With 790 international buyers already registered, alongside 2,210 domestic buyers, KTM 2026 is shaping up as an important business-to-business gathering for Kerala at a time when destinations are competing aggressively for international travellers.

Kerala Travel Mart 2026: What You Need To Know

The Kerala Travel Mart is one of India’s established tourism trade platforms, designed specifically to connect tourism suppliers with travel buyers.

The 2026 edition will run from 24–27 September, with the event’s exhibition and business meetings taking place in Kochi. The programme is expected to focus heavily on structured buyer-seller interactions rather than conventional public tourism footfall.

According to the latest participation figures available ahead of the event, more than 3,000 buyers have registered. This includes 790 international buyers and 2,210 domestic buyers.

On the seller side, 382 tourism sellers had completed stall bookings, while approximately 30 government stalls were also expected to participate.

The scale of the business programme is reflected by another important figure: around 40,000 B2B meetings have already been scheduled.

This makes KTM 2026 particularly relevant to travel companies looking for new distribution partners, destination-management opportunities and international market access.

More Than 380 Tourism Sellers To Showcase Kerala

The seller base represents the supply side of Kerala’s tourism economy.

Participating businesses and tourism organisations are expected to include hotels, resorts, tour operators, travel agencies, houseboats, homestays, serviced villas, wellness and Ayurveda providers, adventure tourism companies, MICE specialists and other destination-related businesses.

Government tourism institutions and related organisations will also have a presence.

The significance of the seller figure goes beyond the number of exhibition spaces. Kerala’s tourism product is unusually diverse, combining established leisure destinations with wellness, backwater experiences, cultural tourism, responsible tourism, wildlife, adventure and increasingly specialised experiential travel.

For overseas buyers, this creates an opportunity to develop itineraries that go beyond the state’s traditional beach-and-backwater image.

For Kerala-based suppliers, meanwhile, the mart provides direct access to buyers who can potentially package, distribute and sell these experiences in international source markets.

790 International Buyers Put Global Markets In Focus

One of the most important indicators for KTM 2026 is the number of overseas buyers.

The event has recorded 790 international buyer registrations, significantly strengthening its international business dimension.

KTM’s international buyer network covers more than 50 countries, although an official final country-by-country list of all KTM 2026 participating buyers was not publicly available in the material reviewed ahead of the event.

That distinction matters.

The figure of more than 50 countries relates to the event’s international buyer reach; it should not be interpreted as meaning that tourism exhibitors from more than 50 countries will operate exhibition stands.

KTM is fundamentally structured around a buyer-seller model, with Kerala tourism businesses presenting their products to domestic and international trade representatives.

Therefore, the most accurate description of the international participation is that 790 overseas buyers are expected to engage with Kerala’s tourism sellers, rather than describing the 790 participants as international exhibitors.

Domestic Buyers Add Another Major Business Layer

International participation is only part of the KTM 2026 story.

The event has also registered 2,210 domestic buyers, giving the mart a substantial Indian market component.

This is particularly relevant because India’s domestic tourism market continues to be an important source of demand for Kerala’s hotels, resorts, tour operators and experience providers.

Domestic buyers can also serve markets that have different travel patterns from international visitors. Shorter breaks, family holidays, wellness trips, celebrations, MICE travel and premium leisure products can all generate demand across different seasons.

The combination of 2,210 domestic buyers and 790 international buyers gives sellers access to two distinct but complementary business channels.

For Kerala tourism companies, that breadth can be valuable when market conditions vary between international source markets and India’s domestic travel sector.

40,000 B2B Meetings Highlight KTM’s Commercial Focus

Perhaps the clearest indication of KTM 2026’s business orientation is the number of meetings scheduled.

Approximately 40,000 B2B meetings have already been arranged for the event.

These appointments are important because travel trade events are ultimately measured not only by attendance but also by the commercial relationships created between buyers and suppliers.

A scheduled meeting gives a hotelier, tour operator or destination-management company a defined opportunity to present its product, understand buyer requirements, discuss pricing and negotiate potential partnerships.

For buyers, the same meetings can provide access to multiple Kerala suppliers within a concentrated period.

This appointment-led structure also helps distinguish KTM from a consumer-facing travel fair, where visitor numbers and general footfall may be the primary performance indicators.

At KTM, the emphasis is much more directly connected to trade relationships, contracting, distribution and destination sales.

Kerala’s Tourism Product Extends Beyond Backwaters

Kerala remains internationally recognised for its backwaters, beaches, hill stations, Ayurveda and cultural attractions. However, the state’s tourism proposition has become increasingly diversified.

The participation of different categories of tourism businesses at KTM provides an opportunity to showcase this broader portfolio.

Wellness tourism remains a major area, particularly because Ayurveda gives Kerala a distinctive proposition in international markets.

Backwater tourism continues to be central, with houseboats and related operators providing one of the state’s best-known experiences.

Nature and wildlife tourism can attract travellers seeking slower, experience-led holidays.

Adventure tourism provides another opportunity, particularly as international travellers increasingly look for active itineraries.

Responsible and community-based tourism can also help Kerala address growing consumer interest in locally rooted and lower-impact travel.

Meanwhile, hotels, resorts, villas and destination-management companies provide the infrastructure needed to combine these experiences into commercially viable packages.

KTM therefore functions not simply as a showcase for individual businesses but as a mechanism for presenting Kerala as a multi-product destination.

Media Participation Adds International Visibility

The 2026 edition is also attracting substantial media interest.

The latest figures indicate 138 registered media representatives, including 71 international media and 67 national media.

That international media component can be particularly valuable for destination marketing.

Travel trade buyers influence bookings and distribution, but specialist travel journalists, publishers and content creators influence how destinations are perceived by potential travellers.

Coverage generated around KTM can help Kerala communicate new tourism products, lesser-known destinations and emerging travel trends to audiences beyond the traditional tourism market.

For a destination competing in an increasingly crowded international marketplace, this type of earned exposure can complement conventional marketing campaigns.

Kochi Provides A Strategic Setting

Holding KTM in Kochi is commercially logical.

The city is Kerala’s principal business and tourism gateway and provides access to the state’s wider tourism infrastructure.

The Sagara and Samudrika Convention Centres on Willingdon Island offer a dedicated setting for the trade programme, while the wider Kochi metropolitan area provides hotels, transport connections and hospitality infrastructure for international and domestic participants.

The event also gives visiting buyers an opportunity to experience Kerala beyond the conference floor.

That experiential element matters in destination marketing. A buyer who understands the logistics, accommodation standards, attractions and visitor experience first-hand can be better positioned to sell Kerala to future customers.

Post-Mart Familiarisation Tours Will Extend The Experience

KTM 2026 will not end when the B2B meetings conclude.

Post-mart familiarisation tours are scheduled from 28 September to 3 October, with 12 tracks planned.

Such tours are an important part of trade-event strategy because tourism is an experiential product.

A buyer may read about a destination, examine photographs or review a hotel presentation, but experiencing a destination personally can provide a different level of understanding.

Familiarisation trips can allow travel professionals to inspect accommodation, test routes, experience attractions and assess the practical feasibility of proposed itineraries.

For Kerala, these tours can also help shift buyer attention towards destinations and experiences that may be less familiar in overseas markets.

Why KTM 2026 Matters For Kerala Tourism

The timing of KTM 2026 is significant.

Global tourism is increasingly competitive. Destinations are not only competing on natural attractions but also on connectivity, accommodation, experiences, value, sustainability, service quality and ease of booking.

Travel buyers play a critical role in this ecosystem because they determine which destinations and products receive attention in their markets.

By bringing 790 international buyers into direct contact with hundreds of Kerala tourism suppliers, KTM creates an environment in which new commercial relationships can develop.

The presence of more than 2,200 domestic buyers further broadens the potential market.

The 40,000 scheduled B2B meetings provide the strongest indication that the event is intended to produce measurable business engagement rather than simply generate exhibition visibility.

What Visitors And Buyers Can Expect

KTM 2026 is expected to offer a concentrated view of Kerala’s tourism supply chain.

Buyers can expect meetings with accommodation providers, tour operators, destination specialists, houseboat businesses, wellness providers and other tourism suppliers.

The event should also provide opportunities to identify new products and negotiate future packages.

For tourism businesses, the key opportunity will be direct engagement with buyers who already have established distribution networks or access to specific source markets.

The presence of domestic and international buyers also creates the possibility of diversifying sales channels rather than depending heavily on one market.

Kerala Travel Mart 2026 In Numbers

The scale of the event can be summarised through its latest available figures:

• 24–27 September 2026: KTM 2026 dates.
• 382: Tourism sellers with completed stall bookings.
• Around 30: Expected government stalls.
• 790: Registered international buyers.
• 2,210: Registered domestic buyers.
• 3,000+: Total registered buyers.
• 50+: Countries represented through KTM’s international buyer network.
• 40,000: Scheduled B2B meetings.
• 138: Registered media representatives.
• 71: International media representatives.
• 67: National media representatives.
• 12: Post-mart familiarisation-tour tracks.
• 28 September–3 October: Scheduled post-mart tour period.

Importantly, these figures describe registered buyers and trade participants, rather than an officially announced consumer visitor forecast. KTM’s published participation metrics are centred on the B2B tourism market.

A Major Test For Kerala’s International Tourism Ambitions

Kerala Travel Mart 2026 arrives with a clear commercial objective: connect Kerala’s tourism supply with a broad domestic and international buyer network.

With 382 sellers, more than 3,000 registered buyers, 790 international buyers and approximately 40,000 scheduled B2B meetings, the event has already established considerable scale before its September opening.

The real measure of success, however, will come after the exhibition closes.

The number of meetings is significant, but the longer-term impact will depend on how many conversations become contracts, packages, bookings, repeat business and new international distribution relationships.

For Kerala, that makes KTM 2026 more than a four-day tourism exhibition. It is an important test of how effectively the state can convert its diverse tourism assets into sustained demand across international and domestic markets.

As Kochi prepares to welcome the global travel trade from 24 September, the focus will now shift from registration numbers and scheduled appointments to the business outcomes that emerge from them.