New Delhi, Jan 24: Spaniards were swept off their feet as God’s Own Country unfolded its mesmerizing grandeur at the just-concluded FITUR 2012, the world’s second largest tourism and travel fair, with visitors and trade professionals showing tremendous interest in Brand Kerala.

Kerala Tourism pavilion, built on the theme of ‘Backwater with Chinese Fishing Nets’ and spread at 58.5 sq mts, whipped up a lot of excitement at the five-day world’s mega travel, which concluded on Sunday.

“The fair undoubtedly threw open a sea of opportunities for Kerala Tourism players, if the response at the mega event is any indication. The travel professionals showed keen interest in learning more about Kerala and its products, spending long hours at the stall. Even the ordinary visitors at the fest were awestruck,’’ said Kerala Tourism Secretary T K Manojkumar, IAS, who led the Kerala delegation.

“It turned out to be a right platform to energise and consolidate business and forge new trade alliances. The inputs we got here would help us find innovative answers to the changing demands of the market and thus further boost tourism potential of the state,’’ he pointed out. The Chinese fishing net swooping over the tranquil backwaters gave a glimpse of the mesmerising beauty of Kerala in an emphatic manner at the pavilion, catching the eyeballs of visitors and business-seeking professionals alike.

The stall showcased the entire range of Kerala’s natural beauty -- serene beaches, emerald backwaters, lush hill stations, exotic wildlife and coconut palms – as also houseboats, enchanting art forms, cuisines and folk arts, triggering huge interest in both the industry operators and the public. There was also live Mohiniyattam performance at the Kerala Pavilion, adding grandeur to the attractive stall.

The Kerala delegation included Additional Director of Tourism Dr Rathan Kelkar, IAS, and a number of trade partners from the state. There were also co-exhibitors like KTDC Hotels & Resorts, CGH Earth, Ramada Resort, Lake Palace Resort, Pioneer Personalized Holidays, Vythiriri Resort & Intersight Tours & Travels.

After the FITUR fair, the Tourism Department is to hold road shows at Marseille (France) on January 24 and Berlin (Germany) on January 26.

Kerala Tourism Department in the recent past has initiated a number of measures, including road shows, to drive inflows from Europe, especially the Scandinavian countries, and Australia. Spain remains a crucial market for the state with huge potential. The total arrivals from Spain in 2010 were 10,658.

FITUR show, a meeting point of tourism professionals the world over, is considered as the second biggest gathering of travel and tourism professionals with around 13000 exhibitors from 170 nations.