
(Image source from: ‘Kerala Evening’ hypnotizes Silicon Valley})
‘Kerala Evening’, an event organized by ‘Kerala Tourism’ in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry(CII) and US-India Business Council held in Palo Alto, California on January 14. The program enthralled the corporate leaders attending the event. The event presented the culture and tradition of Gods own country and the Indian State of Kerala.
Kathakali and Kalaripayattu performers won the heart of all attenders of event in Silicon Valley, which is the home of world’s top most technology companies. AP Anilkumar, Kerala tourism minister, said that "It is a significant day in the history of our state's tourism sector. The United States is a key market for Kerala Tourism. Inbound tourism from America to Kerala has grown about 40 per cent in the past two years. Our first-ever corporate meet in the Silicon Valley is a crucial step to further increase those numbers," he added.
The program was attended by around 50 company’s executives in Silicon Valley. G Kamala Vardhana Rao, Kerala tourism principal secretary, addressed the corporate meet. According to reports, nearly 39.24 percent growth has been registered from US tourists to the Kerala city, during 2012-14. Around 76,616 American tourists visited the Indian state in 2014, while the number of tourists from US were only 55,741 in 2011.
G Kamala Vardhana Rao, said that, "Kerala is growing as a destination for corporate leaders and executives around the world because of its beauty as well as peaceful locations to talk and do business. There is no better place than Kerala for the Silicon Valley executives come and relax and even work. With a large concentration of highly qualified software professionals and entrepreneurs, Kerala is an ideal destination for investment by the Silicon Valley companies," he added.
The event was aimed to enhance Kerala tourism and introduce the Indian state, as an ‘investment friendly’ state to the Silicon Valley’s companies as well. Mr. Rao presented several investment opportunities in the state, on behalf of the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC).
- Nandini