Record surge in tourist arrivals in Kerala; Idukki emerges as top destination

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has recorded an all-time high in tourist arrivals, with 1.23 crore visitors travelling to the state between January and June 2025. Of these, 1.19 crore were domestic tourists, while 3.83 lakh were foreign visitors.

Munnar in Idukki district emerged as the most popular destination, attracting the highest number of tourists. It was also the top choice among domestic travellers, with 21,79,566 visitors. Ernakulam ranked second with 21,30,040 tourists, followed by Thiruvananthapuram in third place with 2,10,227 visitors.

Tourism officials noted a significant increase in visitors from North India. In addition to travellers who book their trips months in advance, Munnar is increasingly being chosen as a destination wedding location. This trend has led to resorts being fully booked, resulting in higher revenues for the hospitality sector.

Heritage tourism boosts capital district
According to the Tourism Department, Thiruvananthapuram district has benefited from a renewed focus on heritage tourism, along with established attractions such as Kovalam, Varkala and Ponmudi. Group tours by senior citizens from North India, who show a strong preference for heritage tourism, have also contributed to the surge in visitor numbers.

Growth since 2022
Tourist arrivals to Kerala have been steadily increasing since 2022. In 2024, the state received a total of 2.29 crore tourists, including 2.22 crore domestic visitors and 7,38,374 foreign tourists. Tourism revenue in 2024 stood at Rs 45,053.61 crore.

Tourist arrivals in Kerala
2024: 2.29 crore
Up to June 2025: 1.23 crore