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. Chief Minister, Shri V D Satheesan, will inaugurate the event on August 31.
Releasing the event logo here, Minister for Tourism, Shri P C Vishnunadh, said tourists from Arab countries will play a critical role in the future growth of Kerala’s tourism economy.
The largest Arab tourism trade event, 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 summit aims to boost Kerala’s pull among Middle East travellers across tourism, Ayurveda, medical value travel and luxury hospitality. 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.