Trivandrum: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has suggested young entrepreneurs to set up start-up ventures in travel and tourism sector by tapping the potential of digital technology to foray into overseas markets that remained unreachable through traditional marketing tools.

Inaugurating the country's first International Conference on Travel Technology (ICTT) at Kovalam near here last evening, Chandy said India, which is ranked 41st in terms of international tourist arrivals, has a long way to go to realise its full potential, given its natural and cultural attractions.

"A key step forward, however, is the arrival of a large number of educated youth and qualified professionals in the industry which is driving innovation and growth. And technology is fuelling this surge of entrepreneurship by providing platforms to market their products and services.

"Another significant aspect is that the emerging scenario enables micro-enterprises and individuals to reach out to their markets across the seas. A home stay in Kerala can now market itself just like one of the big hotel chains to its target audience in London or Sydney. In Kerala, we have a lot of entrepreneurs in the tourism sector and I'm sure technology will give them wings," the Chief Minister said.

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