Annual increase in international tourist arrivals and its significance for Kerala

Since earlier times, that is after the 1950s, over 75 percent of the tourists traveled to Europe and less than 20 percent to the America and the balance to the rest of the world.  According to the World Tourism Organization, sixteen countries of the world hosted 82 percent of international tourist arrivals.  They include eleven countries of Western Europe and the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Japan.  Of the 28362 million tourists, who crossed frontiers in the year 1981, Europe involved 197.26 million and 56 million criss-crossed between USA, Canada and USA/Mexico.

The rest of the world received the balance of 30 million tourists only and largely this is true for the other years as well.  Even during these times, the share of Kerala in the international tourist map was rather significant.  Perhaps no other state in South India could show case so much diversities before the international traveler on a short or detailed visit to the state.

Kerala abounds in natural wealth and other bio-diversities.  This small area of land in the southern tip of the Indian peninsula offers much and it may take weeks for the international tourist to explore the monuments of historic and cultural value, the natural biodiversities of the Western Ghats and the scores of different cultural forms.  The health packages on offer have attracted worldwide attention mainly due to the absence of any side effects.