Keralam, one of India’s premier tourist-friendly states, is leading the way in creating new, experiential products. Here are three of those presented at Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) ‘26: Keralam Forest Development Corporation (KFDC), the winner of the National Award for Environment Best Practices, is introducing Workation-premium biodiversity experiences at two places. Workation Gavi has reliable internet, a quiet workplace, comfortable accommodation and the calm of an evergreen forest near Thekkady. Enjoy boating on Gavi Lake inside Periyar Tiger Reserve, jeep safaris, and cardamom forests. This area is also home to the rare Nilgiri Marten, a beautiful animal with its signature yellow throat standing out amidst its black body.
Suryanelli is a thriving biodiversity hotspot, sheltering hundreds of bird, butterfly, reptile, and mammal species amid stunning mountain scenery, high-altitude plantations, and beautiful sunrise views. It’s in the Chinnkanal village of Idukki district, 40 kms from Munnar. It’s the base camp for Kolukkumalai Tea Estate, which features organic tea plantations. It also serves as the starting point for treks to Meesapulimala Peak, one of the highest peaks in the UNESCO Natural World Heritage site of the Western Ghats.
Santhosh Kumar C, Eco Tourism Manager, Kerala Forest Development Corporation, said: “Chief Minister V Satheesan will be inaugurating these workations on 13 October. Anyone needing and quiet sanctuary like writers, creators, or a tight-knit team, can look-forward to uninterrupted days to think and work in peace here.” KFDC runs 6 main ecotourism centres across Kerala; other destinations are in Wayanad, Arippa, Nelliyampatti and Munnar.
CGH Earth, known for its clean, green hotels, is presenting Saha, under the umbrella of Handpicked Escapes. Charles V K, Sr. General Manager, CGH Earth Experience Hotels, said: “These are. Every space at Saha is chosen with intent to bring a guest closer to the people who matter. One can enjoy handmade holidays authentic to the destination. Out of the 12 Saha hotels, 4 are in Kerala: Chittoor Kottaram at Ernakulam, Lokhart Bungalow at Munnar, Hibiscus Villa at Alleppey and Beach Gate Bungalows at Fort Kochi.”
Hortus Malabaricus Botanical Garden & Resort spans a sprawling 27-acre private property in Cheruthuruthy. Anand Gopinath, Botanist and Tour Manager at Hortus Malabaricus, told eGTMedia: “Our resort is part of a research institute established by our owner Sam Santhosh in 2015 and is dedicated to plant conservation, propagation and research. Our garden is home to over 1800 plant species. We focus primarily on the 742 plants documented in the 17th-century 12-volume magnum opus Hortus Malabaricus. Guests can discover ancient healing practices in the garden, which brings to life the traditional and culinary uses recorded in the Hortus Malabaricus. They can also witness the facility’s active role in preserving endemic, endangered, and restricted-range plant species from the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Guests’ visits directly support vital conservation. The property offers 13 thoughtfully designed accommodations with modern comforts.
Contacts for further information:
www.kfdcecotourism.com, [email protected]
www.cghearth.com/saha, [email protected]
www.hortusmalabaricus.org, [email protected]
By: Madhura Katti – © 2026.
Read Time: 3 minutes.
Author Bio:
Madhura Katti didn’t just choose travel; it chose her. Trained in hotel management in Bangalore, she quickly understood that journeys are about people, not places. By the nineties, she was writing on travel and food with a natural authority, later earning a Best Travel Writer award that surprised no one who had read her work.
Storytelling soon moved to film. Her documentary work with Indigenous India captured the spirit of a country in motion and won a National Award for Best Tourism Film.
After years with TTG Asia and Aviation International News, she brought her seasoned judgement to EGT Media, where she now guides coverage across India and South Asia steady, perceptive, and unmistakably human.
