KSUM Focuses on Travel & Hospitality Startups to Boost Tourism

KOCHI:
Travel and hospitality are becoming focal sectors in the incubation activities of Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), which is promoting such firms in a big way acknowledging their bright prospects, the nodal agency said on the eve of World Tourism Day.

Online marketplace Campper, a one-stop shop for campsites that are verified, well-equipped and secured, is a leading KSUM-groomed startup, while Voye Homes and Tentgram function with a vision beyond book-and-stay operators.

“Kerala has for a quarter century been a major tourism destination of national as well as global reputation. Right now, there is further change to that culture with Covid-19 having almost subsided and the world returning to near-normalcy,” KSUM Chief Executive Officer Anoop Ambika pointed out. “Now with the monsoon rains over, the state is experiencing a strong inflow of tourists. This is set to benefit the tourism and hospitality industries.”

Aiming at capitalizing on the resurgence of the tourism industry, KSUM-incubated six-year-old Campper has listed around 200 camp sites in southern India. With its emphasis on enabling the travellers to stay close to nature and inculcating the spirit of responsible tourism, www.campper.com facilitates hassle-free booking of sites for campers and promising them experiential tourism.

Kozhikode-based Voye Homes (https://voyehomes.com/), on its part, promotes private holiday homes owned by corporate brands, celebrities and HNIs. The facilities particularly benefit those looking for safe and private villas to spend their vacations peacefully with friends or family by avoiding jam-packed hotels and resorts. It currently operates in 11 destinations spread across the Deccan with more than 50 properties and 268 rooms.

Tentgram (www.tentgram.com), started in 2017 with its headquarters in Munnar, is an outdoor recreational centre that provides overnight stays with outdoor experiences at an affordable budget package. It also holds experiential activities such as kayaking, zip lining and trekking.

‘Rethinking Tourism’ is the theme of World Tourism Day 2022. KSUM is the state’s agency for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities.