In its efforts to grab a major share of the global multi-billion-dollar MICE tourism industry, Kerala will promote the state as a destination for conferences and meetings of Japanese corporate leaders in the future.
Kerala Tourism has sought the support of the Japanese government in turning Kerala into a MICE destination for Chief Executive Officers of prominent companies in Japan and those based in India. G Kamala Vardhana Rao, Tourism Secretary of Kerala, recently met Japan’s Ambassador to India, Takeshi Yagi, in New Delhi recently to seek his cooperation. Toshihiro Yamakoshi, Counsellor, Embassy of Japan, was also present at the meeting.
“The honourable Ambassador of Japan has assured his full support towards Kerala government’s efforts to transform the state as a MICE destination for the business heads from his country,” said Rao. He added that the state would host a meeting of top executives of Japanese companies based in India to kick-start the process, in the near future. “With its status as a peaceful destination, Kerala is an ideal place for brainstorming by Japanese corporate leaders,” Rao said and added that Kerala Tourism will also organise a meeting in Tokyo of Japanese CEOs based in their country after analysing the outcome of the meeting in New Delhi.
Japanese companies regularly send their senior executives abroad for meetings and conferences. MICE tourism is a key element of top tourist destinations in the world considering the high foreign exchange earnings offered by it.
The Kerala government had slashed the luxury tax on auditoriums and convention centres having rents above Rs 20,000 from 20 per cent to 10 per cent in the budget last year to attract MICE tourism in the state. “Because of the high earnings in global MICE tourism, it is inevitable that we enter the sector in a big way,” the Kerala Tourism Secretary said.
