Kerala, one of the leaders in tourism promotion identified monsoons as a major thrust area a few years ago. The state has already put in place a campaign to promote monsoon as a tourism product and has adopted a multi-pronged marketing strategy for the same.

According to Alkesh Kumar Sharma, director, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), special promotional campaigns for monsoons have been launched in print media as well as electronic media in the important feeder markets. He also informed that a high quality brochure was released in ITB Berlin and ATM Dubai.

Monsoons in Kerala are the most enchanting in India. Kerala is the first state in India to receive the monsoon with an annual rainfall of 3,107 mm compared to the national average of 1,197, and attracts hordes of visitors. Apart from the natural beauty at this time of the year it is the great discounts, packages and tourism products aggressively marketed by the state, that have made the state a great monsoon destination.

KTDC is offering a host of monsoon packages like Jungle Holidays, Sylvan Holidays, Hill Holidays, Beach Holidays, Island Holidays and Rejuvenation Holidays. Jungle Holidays are based on the Lake Palace and Aranya Nivas, both former palaces and premier properties of KTDC in Thekkady while Sylvan Holidays comprise of backwater cruises from Kumarakom, Bolagatty Palace Hotel and Yatri Nivas at Kollam.

Western Ghats in Kerala are decked with numerous breathtaking hill stations. Hill Holidays comprise packages to serene hills of Ponmudi, mist laden plantations of Munnar, rejuvenating Nelliyampathy and exhilarating Ranipuram. Bolagatty Palace at the centre of Bolagatty Island is the focal point of the Island Holiday, which is also a journey through enchanting Kochi. KTDC also has Beach Holidays featuring packages to the recently renovated Samudra Hotel at Kovalam and Rejuvenation Holidays, packages offering ayurvedic treatment at various places in the state.

Besides this, KTDC is also working on developing and promoting areas like Malabar region, a pristine and untapped region, as an important monsoon destination. Also hill stations like Munnar and Wyanad are high on demand during this period, which offer discounts from June through August.

During monsoon, there is a 40 per cent reduction in the package rates, traditionally through out Kerala with hotels and airlines pooling in and offering discounts. Kerala, specifically south Kerala, is very heavily priced during season but rates are slashed drastically during the rains. Besides this, faced with a slump in percentage of international tourists for the past two years, Kerala has started aggressively marketing the destination to the domestic market with aggressive prices making it a very affordable destination.

One of the tourism products the state has been concentrating on a lot for the monsoon is health tourism, especially ayurveda. Ayurveda holidays, have gained popularity with international tourists due to the efforts of the tourism department, which has been hosting special 10-day rejuvenation camps for international travel writers and tour operators to introduce them to ‘wonders of ayurveda’. The international exposure and interest has also had a rub off effect on the ‘foreign fixated’ domestic market with ayurveda holidays catching their imagination in the past couple of years.

Kerala is the only state in India, which has not only managed to keep alive this ancient naturalistic system (Ayurveda evolved around 600 BC) but also popularised it. The equable climate and natural abundance of forests (with a wealth of herbs and medicinal plants) in the state enhanced by the cool monsoon season (June-November) are best suited for Ayurveda’s curative and restorative treatment.

Traditional texts reveal that the monsoon is the best season for rejuvenation programmes as the atmosphere remains dust-free and cool, opening the pores of the body to the maximum, making it most receptive to herbal oils and therapy. The state and the private sector both have capitalised on this and are aggressively marketing ayurveda packages to promote Kerala in the rains.
Kanjany, Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Kovalam, Kumarakom are some of the major destinations for Ayurvedic treatments which include an entire gamut ranging from beauty therapies, rejuvenation massages, body purification, body immunisation, treatment for sporaris, weight loss programmes etc. A number of resorts dedicated to ayurveda like Somatheeram, Manaltheeram, Varier’s Arya Vaidya Sala have mushroomed in the state, which combine relaxing resort holidays and ayurvedic treatments.

Several five-star hotels like Taj also offer ayurveda treatments. Tourists who travelled to beaches and sanctuaries for leisure and fun in Kerala now spend a major part of their holidays in ayurvedic resorts for “rejuvenation and recharging”. Infact all hotels - small and major - have created special holiday packages for rejuvenation and therapy. In Kovalam alone there are more than 50 ayurvedic centres with brochures in all major foreign languages.

The Taj Residency in Calicut runs a high-profile ayurvedic centre offering specialised treatments for common and chronic ailments. Their rejuvenation programmes are spread over a week and can be extended up to four to five weeks. Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort, which has bagged the Kerala State Tourism Award for Best Ayurvedic Centre for three consecutive years (1998- 2000) offers separate programmes for every individual after evaluation.

Short duration treatments for minor ailments like back pain, muscular pain etc coupled with herbal steam bath, spinal bath and therapeutic massages provided on physician’s advice are very popular. The systematic and disciplined nature of treatments has made Kerala a popular and ideal destination for medical tourism.

The other big draw of Kerala’s tourism bouquet is the backwaters, which has given the state the sobriquet “God’s Own Country.” The backwaters of Kerala are full and flowing in the monsoons. A network of lakes, rivers and canals fringing the coastline, the backwaters are not only a great inland thoroughfare but a journey into a timeless land of picture-postcard beauty. A boat ride takes you through the tropical paradise with monsoon washed gorgeous greens that steal your heart.

The backwaters, stretching over a total expanse of 1,500 kms comprising a network of 44 rivers, lagoons and 29 lakes from north to south have become an important attraction. The criss-crossed, palm-fringed lakes traversed with Chinese fishing nets are very popular cruises, especially between Kollam and Allappuzha.

Meandering through the backwaters on an open boat or covered kettuvellum is a great way to explore the hinterland. A typical tour lasts from two to six hours and it’s a fascinating experience to wander from village to village observing the various activities like coir making, boat building, toddy tapping, fish farming which make the village economy tick. Some of the best village tours operate out of Kochi, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram while the major towns on the backwaters are Allapuzha, Varkala and Kollam.

Despite the heavy downpour making the backwaters a difficult proposition at times, the state has been doing a lot of hardsell through special packages and campaigns in both print and electronic media to lure tourists to experience the backwaters, the essence of Kerala at their ‘magical monsoon best.’