Marketing strategies of tour packages in Kerala – a case study of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) Kerala

Abstract

In the modern age tourism has become a popular global leisure, recreational and pleasure seeking activity. It involves travelling to attractive destinations and exotic natural areas with the specific objects of studying, admiring and enjoying the scenery and its wild flora and fauna, as well as other existing cultural and historical aspects. Tourism has emerged as an important as well as organized industry which scattered its benefits over large segments of population. It is vital for many countries due to the huge investment in their goods and services and the opportunity for employment in the service industries associated with tourism. Recently this smokeless industry has become a leading one in the service sector at the global level as well as a major provider of employment and a significant generator of foreign exchange at the national level. In its modern form, since the end of the Second World War, tourism had grown into one of the world s largest industries with a growth rate in excess of 5% per annum over the past twenty years. Being the most rapidly expanding industry, tourism is contributing over 10.4% to global GDP and generating employment for 231 million people. International tourists arrivals worldwide registered over 922 million with a growth of 2% in 2008 as compared to 6.7% in 2007. As per UNWTO estimates, worldwide receipts from international tourism were US$ 944 billion in 2008. It shows an increase of US$ 88 billion in 2008 over the US$ 856 billion in 2007. During the period between 1996 and 2008, international tourists arrivals worldwide grew at an average annual rate of 6.8%. During the twelve -year period from 1996 to 2008, the Asia and Pacific region was second only to the Middle East in outperforming the rest of the world, with growth in tourist arrivals averaging 7.66% per year and Europe remained the top regional tourist destination. India is one of the most popular destinations in the Asia-Pacific Region. Tourism industry in India is on a great boom at the moment.