A banner showing a glimpse of the Kerala backwaters. (Amar D. Gupta | Siliconeer)

 

A team from the Southern Indian state of Kerala was recently in San Francisco promoting tourism and travel trade in Kerala. The contingent consisted of tour operators from the state offering various tour packages and options for even the most discerning traveler. A Siliconeer report. (#Kerala, #KeralaTourism, #Siliconeer, @Siliconeer, #IndiaTourism, #IncredibleIndia, #IndiaTourismLA, #Ayurveda)

The event held at Hyatt Regency hotel in San Francisco, Jan. 12, showcased the land that has cast its spell on the world – Kerala; the land of tranquil backwaters, enchanting wildlife, rejuvenating Ayurveda and mesmerizing culture.

The evening featured a presentation on Kerala and an interactive session with travel and tourism suppliers from the state. There was also a raffle draw for two free tickets to “God’s Own Country.”

India Tourism’s Los Angeles office assistant director Sandhya Haridas started the proceedings with a welcome speech, touching upon various travel options for visiting Kerala in particular. She screened a film on Kerala, showing the magnificence and abundance of natural beauty of the state. Sandhya said she had a soft corner for the state as she herself was from Kerala.

The Consul General of India at San Francisco, Ambassador Venkatesan Ashok talked about the ease of procuring visas and how the process of visa application was more streamlined with the introduction of electronic visa application.

Principal Secretary, Tourism, G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, IAS gave a detailed presentation into the offerings of Kerala, the numbers. He screened a special video on the state.

There were two other speakers, a National Geographic traveler and Condé Nast traveler who spoke about their experiences in Kerala.

Interested readers can get more information about Kerala tourism at www.incredibleindia.org.