Invest Kerala conclave begins today

The two-day Invest Kerala Global Summit (IKGS), 2025, will begin at the imposing Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre in Kochi tomorrow.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the conclave, while Minister for Industries, Law and Coir P Rajeeve will preside.

The big-ticket summit will showcase the state as poised for “Industry 4.0” and present the potential of tourism, a key sector in the state’s new industrial policy, to a wider audience, including leaders from the tourism and hospitality industries.

The IKGS coincides with a surge in tourist arrivals as Kerala evolves into an all-season, experiential tourist destination.

According to the organising committee, Kerala draws about 2.3 crore tourists annually. Tourism contributes over 10 per cent to the state’s GDP and employs 24 per cent of the workforce. The summit will feature 29 sessions on topics such as wellness and sustainable tourism, and explore scaling up infrastructure in destinations like the backwaters, beaches and hill stations, while highlighting the new hotspots. Minister P Rajeeve said the state had solidified its position as a hub of tourism and destination weddings.