Kerala Achieves Historic Tourism Milestone with Record 2.58 Crore Visitors in 2025
Kozhikode: In a landmark announcement, Kerala Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas revealed that the state has recorded its highest number of tourist arrivals in history during 2025. The announcement came as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government completes five years in office, with tourism figures showing consistent record-breaking performance.
Unprecedented Growth in Visitor Numbers
According to the latest official data for 2025, a total of 2,58,80,365 tourists visited Kerala, surpassing the previous year's record by nearly 30 lakh visitors. This represents a substantial increase from the 2,29,85,363 tourists who arrived in the state during 2024.
The minister emphasized that this achievement is particularly significant given the severe challenges faced by the tourism sector during the coronavirus pandemic. When the LDF government was re-elected in 2021, the tourism industry was described as being "on ventilator" due to pandemic-related disruptions.
Domestic Tourism Surges with 12.46% Growth
A major contributor to this record-breaking performance has been the remarkable surge in domestic tourist arrivals. In 2025, 2,50,58,366 domestic tourists visited Kerala, compared to 2,22,46,989 the previous year. This represents an impressive 12.46% increase year-over-year and stands 36.3% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The district-wise breakdown of domestic tourist arrivals reveals:
- Idukki: 46,79,800 visitors (highest domestic arrivals)
- Ernakulam: 44,29,899 visitors
- Thiruvananthapuram: 43,75,846 visitors
- Thrissur: 31,24,696 visitors
- Wayanad: 14,73,710 visitors
- Kozhikode: 14,69,253 visitors
Foreign Tourism Recovery Amid Global Challenges
While domestic tourism has shown explosive growth, foreign tourist arrivals are only now returning to pre-pandemic levels. Minister Riyas cited global conflicts as a key factor affecting international travel patterns.
In 2025, 8,21,999 foreign tourists visited Kerala, representing an 11.3% increase over the previous year. The top source countries for international visitors included:
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Germany
- France
- Canada
- Australia
- Malaysia
- Saudi Arabia
- Oman
- Maldives
Among districts, Ernakulam led in foreign tourist arrivals, followed by Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, Alappuzha, and Kottayam.
Strategic Initiatives Behind the Success
The LDF government implemented a comprehensive action plan to overcome pandemic-related challenges, including extensive stakeholder consultations and strategic interventions. Key initiatives that contributed to the tourism revival include:
- Adoption of modern technology to enhance tourism promotion and visitor experience
- Marketing campaigns highlighting the renowned hospitality of Kerala's people
- Renovation of Public Works Department (PWD) rest houses, which now attract a significant share of tourist occupants
- Infrastructure development including improved road networks across the state
Northern Kerala has witnessed particularly notable growth, with accommodation facilities expanding significantly in districts like Kasaragod, including the addition of five-star hotels.
The minister concluded that these strategic efforts have transformed Kerala's tourism landscape, creating a robust foundation for continued growth in the coming years.
