Kochi: Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Monday said the government would undertake a series of major development projects to strengthen the state’s centuries-old ties with the Arab world and position Keralam as a global hub for tourism, knowledge and healthcare.

Inaugurating the Indo-Arab Connect 2026 conference in Kochi, Satheesan welcomed investors and tourists from Arab countries. He said attracting more visitors and investment from the region was a key government priority.

“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.

Mission Samudra to boost waterways and cruise tourism
Under the proposed Mission Samudra, the government plans to connect Keralam’s coastline and ports and develop the state as a comprehensive port city, Satheesan said.

The project will integrate the state’s international ports, container terminal and smaller ports. In its second phase, 44 rivers and major backwaters will also be brought under the project, he said.

Cruise services are planned between Kochi and the Gulf countries and Goa, as well as along the Keralam coast from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram.

Satheesan said the government also planned to shift 50 to 60 per cent of freight movement to waterways to reduce congestion on roads.

Keralam to be developed as aviation hub
The state will also be developed as an aviation hub by leveraging the potential of its international airports, the Chief Minister said.

Pilot training institutes and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities will be established as part of the initiative. An international convention centre with modern facilities will also be set up near Kochi airport, he said.

The government is ready to provide 30 acres of land in Kochi for the construction of what Satheesan described as India’s first oceanarium.

An international maritime museum showcasing Keralam’s more than 2,000-year-old maritime trade heritage will also be established, he said.

According to Satheesan, archaeological excavations at Muziris have uncovered evidence of ancient trade relations between Keralam and 31 countries. The government will preserve this heritage while developing tourism around it, he said.

New tourism and cultural projects
A modern cultural park named after writer M T Vasudevan Nair will be established in Kozhikode, while new tourism destinations will be developed in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and other cities, Satheesan said.

He also announced plans for the ‘Knowledge Valley’ project to develop Keralam as a global centre for knowledge and healthcare.

“Prominent international universities will be invited to Keralam,” he said.

Integrated rehabilitation centres combining Ayurveda and allopathic medicine, modelled on European systems, will also be established, according to the Chief Minister.

Caregiver courses based on curricula followed in the UK, Germany and Australia will be introduced at medical and nursing colleges, while geriatric care centres will also be established, he said.

Under the ‘Retire in Kerala’ initiative, the state will provide facilities for elderly people and foreigners seeking to spend their retirement in Keralam, Satheesan said.

‘Arab world and Keralam share deep historical ties’
Tourism Minister P C Vishnunadh, who presided over the event, said the conference offered an opportunity to strengthen the historical relationship between Keralam and the Arab world and open a new chapter in tourism and investment.

He said the relationship extended beyond modern tourism and had developed through centuries of spice trade and maritime commerce across the Arabian Sea.

“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 also added that the state's appeal lay in its ability to offer visitors experiences beyond those of a conventional tourist destination, adding that the state 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.