Brief
Kerala to unveil tourism policy that grants industry status and adds AI‑driven marketing
The draft policy aims to attract investment, develop 100 new destinations and employ AI for visitor‑behaviour analysis.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Kerala's tourism department is preparing to announce a draft policy that would grant the sector industry status and embed artificial intelligence in destination marketing, Tourism Secretary K Biju told the New Indian Express.
What happened
The draft, now in its finalisation stage, proposes three pillars – infrastructure, tourism products and marketing – with AI tools to analyse visitor preferences, identify popular spots and design targeted campaigns. The department plans to develop 100 new tourism destinations over the next five years, each equipped with "world‑class facilities" and "smart management systems".
What the reports add
The article notes that the policy is awaiting financial, legal and inter‑departmental clearances before a formal rollout in October. It also mentions that electricity tariffs for tourism establishments are among the issues being negotiated.
What was said
"Financial, legal clearances and consultations with other departments are going on and we will roll out the policy very soon," Biju said. He added, "Technology is only an enabler. It will never replace the experience of tourism or the human touch." He also said AI‑driven data could help tailor marketing campaigns to consumer behaviour.
How it came about
The proposal builds on best‑practice studies of AI use in tourism by other countries and states, aiming to attract fresh investment and strengthen infrastructure while keeping the human element central to the visitor experience.
Key facts
- Kerala's draft tourism policy will grant industry status to the sector. (newindianexpress.com)
- The policy plans to use AI for visitor‑behaviour analysis and targeted marketing. (newindianexpress.com)
- The department aims to develop 100 new tourism destinations within five years. (newindianexpress.com)
- The policy is expected to be announced in October after financial and legal clearances. (newindianexpress.com)
Sources
- [1] newindianexpress.com — originally reported as “Eyeing industry status, Keralam's new tourism policy to step up marketing with AI”
