Kerala targets Arab travellers in big medical tourism push

The South Indian state of Kerala plans to work with the private sector to expand its share of the global medical value travel market, with a particular focus on attracting high-spending Arab travellers and their families, said the state's tourism minister.

Kerala aims to develop itself as a major healthcare and wellness destination for visitors from the Gulf and wider Arab world as part of a roadmap to establish the state as a global medical travel hub by 2030, remarked Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunath while speaking at a medical tourism industry meeting in Kochi.

The state is considering a dedicated training programme for medical tourism service providers in collaboration with the Kerala Institute of Travel and Tourism Studies, he said, adding that regulation, classification and standardisation would be important to improving the sector's competitiveness.

"Kerala possesses all the infrastructure and human capital required to lead this sector," the minister said, citing hospitals with advanced treatment facilities, qualified doctors and nursing and paramedical staff.

The state needed to combine those capabilities with high ethical standards, treatment quality and service standards to maintain patient confidence, he added.

The interactive session saw Sujith Natesan, President of the Association of Medical Tourism Facilitators (AMF), Rasheed Kakkat, President of the Association of Arab Tour Operators (AATO), and Ravisankar KV, Managing Editor of Tourism India Media Group, speak on various aspects of Kerala's Medical Value Travel roadmap. Thomas Babu, Secretary of AMF, welcomed the gathering, and Sivaprasad proposed the vote of thanks.

The push comes ahead of Indo Arab Connect 2026, a tourism and healthcare summit in Kochi scheduled to be held at Crowne Plaza Kochi from August 31 to September 1.

It is being organised by AATO in association with Tourism India Media Group and the Association of Medical Tourism Facilitators (AMF), with support from Kerala Tourism and Tamil Nadu Tourism.

Organisers said more than 175 Arab travel agents and tour operators from 11 countries have confirmed participation.

More than 100 hotels, resorts, Ayurveda centres and hospitals from India are expected to participate as exhibitors, while a business-to-business meeting on Sept. 1 will bring together Arab travel buyers and tourism and healthcare providers from India and other destinations.

Organisers aim to attract nearly 300,000 additional visitors from Arab countries to Kerala and generate more than Rs250 billion ($2.9 billion) in tourism-related revenue over the next five years.

Arab travellers are an important source market for Kerala, with visitors from Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, as well as other West Asian markets, among the state's key international visitor groups, according to industry representatives.

The June-to-September period is particularly important for Arab tourism to Kerala, helping support hotel occupancy and tourism-related employment during the state's traditional domestic off-season.

Speaking on the occasion, Ravisankar said the summit was designed to give Arab tour operators direct exposure to Kerala's finest Ayurveda, medical tourism and luxury offerings. 

"This is the first time in India that a dedicated tourism summit of this scale has been organised exclusively targeting the Arab market. With over 175 tour operators from 11 countries confirmed, alongside state tourism ministers and senior officials, Indo Arab Connect 2026 will be a watershed moment for India-Arab tourism ties," he stated. 

The initiative aims to attract nearly three lakh additional visitors from the Arab world in the near future, contributing more than Rs250 billion ($2.62 billion) to Kerala's economy.

Natesan said Kerala's hospitals, healthcare professionals, patient-support infrastructure and availability of Arabic-speaking residents gave it an advantage in attracting medical travellers from the region.

Following the summit, organisers plan a nine-day familiarisation tour from September 2 to 9 for delegates from Gulf and West Asian countries, covering destinations including Kochi, Munnar, Kumarakom, Alappuzha, Kovalam and Wayanad.

Kakkat said Arab travellers were among the world's higher-spending tourists and that direct exposure to Kerala's healthcare, Ayurveda and hospitality offerings could help increase arrivals.

Kerala's initiative comes as competition for Gulf and Arab medical and leisure travellers intensifies among international destinations, with the state seeking to combine healthcare, wellness and tourism offerings to capture a larger share of the market.-TradeArabia News Service