Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan has said the government would implement major development projects to strengthen the centuries-old ties between Keralam and Arab countries and transform the state into a global hub for tourism, knowledge and healthcare.
Inaugurating Indo-Arab Connect 2026 conference here, Satheesan welcomed Arab investors and tourists and said attracting more visitors and investors from Arab countries was a key priority of the government.
“The people of the Arab countries and Keralites share a deep, brotherly relationship. The government’s main objective is to attract more tourists and investors from the Arab world to Keralam,” he said.
Under Mission Samudra, the government aims to connect Keralam’s coastline and ports and transform the state into a comprehensive port city, Satheesan said.
The project will integrate the state’s international ports, container terminal and mini ports, while 44 rivers and major backwaters will be brought under the project in its second phase, he said.
Cruise services will be launched from Kochi to Gulf countries and Goa, and from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, Satheesan said.
He said the government also planned to shift 50 to 60 per cent of freight movement to waterways to reduce traffic congestion on roads.
The state would also be developed as an aviation hub by making use of the potential of its international airports, he said.
Pilot training institutes and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities would be established as part of the initiative. An international global convention centre with modern facilities would also be set up near Kochi airport, Satheesan said.
The government was ready to provide 30 acres of land in Kochi for constructing India’s first oceanarium, he said.
An international maritime museum showcasing Keralam’s more than 2,000-year-old maritime trade heritage would also be established, Satheesan said.
Archaeological excavations at Muziris have uncovered evidence of ancient trade relations between Keralam and 31 countries, he said, adding that the government would preserve this heritage while expanding tourism.
A modern cultural park named after writer M T Vasudevan Nair would be established in Kozhikode, while new tourism destinations would also be developed in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and other cities, he said.
Satheesan said the government would implement the ‘Knowledge Valley’ project to develop Keralam as a global knowledge and healthcare centre.
“Prominent international universities will be invited to Keralam,” he said.
Integrated rehabilitation centres combining Ayurveda and allopathy on the European model would also be established, while caregiver courses modelled on the curricula of the UK, Germany and Australia would be introduced at medical and nursing colleges, he said.
Geriatric care centres would also be established, and the state would provide facilities for elderly people and foreigners seeking to spend their retirement in Keralam under the slogan ‘Retire in Kerala‘, Satheesan said.
Tourism Minister P C Vishnunadh, who presided over the event, said the programme offered a rare opportunity to further strengthen historical ties between Keralam and the Arab world and open a new chapter in tourism and investment.
The relationship between Keralam and the Arab world was not limited to modern tourism but had developed through spice trade and maritime commerce across the Arabian Sea, he said.
“Keralam owes a great debt to the Gulf countries for the warm welcome and opportunities they have provided to the Malayali community over generations,” Vishnunadh said.
He said Keralam welcomed the Arab people, who had embraced Malayalis for decades, not merely as visitors but as family members and friends.
Kerala tourism’s major attraction was its ability to offer visitors experiences beyond being merely a tourist destination, he said, adding that Keralam was increasingly becoming a preferred destination for tourists from Arab countries.
Deepak Joy MLA, Maradu municipality chairperson Ajitha Nandakumar and other elected representatives attended the event.
