Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society

What Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society does

Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS) is a government-affiliated society operating under the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, headquartered at Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram. The organization functions as both a regulatory body and an event operator for the adventure tourism sector, executing three core mandates: (i) publishing and enforcing India's first comprehensive Adventure Tourism Safety and Security Regulations covering 31 land, water, and air-based activities (issued as Government Order GO.(MS)No.18/2019 Tourism on 14.10.2019, with a separate Tent Camping order GO.(MS)No.13/2021 on 26.07.2021); (ii) running an Online Registration Portal that accredits adventure tourism service providers through multi-level verification; and (iii) organizing four flagship international annual events — the Malabar River Festival (International White Water Kayaking Championship, 12th edition in 2026), the Paragliding Festival / Vagamon International Accuracy Cup, the International Surfing Festival at Varkala, and MTB Kerala.

The society's underlying technology platform is a digital accreditation portal hosted at keralaadventure.org, which captures operator applications and routes them through government verification. Its underlying regulatory asset — the codified 31-activity safety framework — is technically a published government document rather than software, but functions as a structural barrier. Distribution is digital-first (website + DTPC reseller network at the district level) with technical execution delivered through partnerships with national and international federations: Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association (IKCA), Surfing Federation of India (SFI), International Surfing Association (ISA), and Paragliding Association of India.

KATPS's commercial model is a hybrid of small per-participant event registration fees (INR 100 for Kerala kayakers up to INR 5,000 for international kayakers at the Malabar River Festival), operator accreditation fees set by the Department of Tourism, and event sponsorship/partnership funding routed through District Tourism Promotion Councils (DTPCs) and District Panchayats. The society is not a profit-seeking enterprise: its CEO reports into a governance structure led by the Chief Minister of Kerala as patron, the Minister for Tourism, and an IAS Secretary (Tourism). Customer segments are diffuse — international and domestic adventure tourists, accredited adventure tour operators, and professional/amateur athletes participating in sanctioned competitions — with no anchor enterprise customers or recurring SaaS-style contracts.

Name

Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society

Legal name

Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society

Website

https://keralaadventure.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS) is a government-affiliated society under Kerala's Department of Tourism that regulates adventure tourism, accredits operators via an online portal, and organizes flagship international events including the Malabar River Festival, Paragliding Festival, and Surfing Festival.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism Promotion Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure & Outdoor Local Operators (Trekking/Safari/Diving) (THAKAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-Activity & Expedition Packages (Guided Adventure Trips) (THAJABAL), Adventure & Expedition Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAD), Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators (THAAADAA)

Keywords

• Adventure tourism promotion
• Adventure sports events
• Tour operator accreditation
• Adventure safety regulations
• Adventure travel activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Thiruvananthapuram

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Adventure Tourism Service Provider Accreditation: Online registration and accreditation system for adventure tourism operators. The Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala introduced this portal to ensure quality, competence, and trustworthiness of service providers through a multi-level verification process.
2. Event Registration Fees: Registration fees collected from participants in annual adventure sports events. International Kayakers: INR 5,000/-, National Kayakers: INR 1,000/-, Kerala Kayakers: INR 100/- for Malabar River Festival.
3. Event Sponsorships and Partnerships: Revenue generated through partnerships with District Tourism Promotion Councils, District Panchayats, and technical support organizations for organizing annual adventure sports festivals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KATPS promotes adventure tourism in Kerala by organizing major annual international events across land, water, and air adventure categories, and by accrediting tour operators through an online registration portal. It also develops and implements safety regulations governing 31 adventure tourism activities and provides information on destinations such as Vagamon, Munnar, Thekkady, Wayanad, and Varkala.

Product overview

Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS) operates as a government-promoted adventure tourism organization offering land-based activities (trekking, cycling, rock climbing), water-based activities (kayaking, surfing, scuba diving, water sports), and air-based activities (paragliding). The society organizes major international events including the Malabar River Festival (International Kayaking Championship), Paragliding Festival, Surfing Festival, and MTB Kerala. It also manages an Online Registration Portal for adventure tourism service providers and has developed India's first comprehensive Adventure Tourism Safety and Security Regulations covering 31 activities. A proposed Adventure Park project would add recreational facilities including zip lines, rope courses, and zorbing attractions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Malabar River Festival: International White Water Kayaking Championship - an annual event organized by KATPS featuring kayaking competitions at Chalipuzha and Iruvazhinjipuzha rivers in Kozhikode district
• Paragliding Festival
• Surfing Festival
• MTB Kerala

Products and services

• Malabar River Festival Annual international white water kayaking championship held in Kozhikode, Kerala. Open to international, national, Kerala, and amateur kayakers with tiered registration fees (INR 5,000 / INR 1,000 / INR 100). Includes Downriver Time Trial access, race bib, lunch, and transport.
• Paragliding Festival International paragliding festival held annually in Vagamon, featuring the Vagamon International Accuracy Cup with top paragliding pilots from around the world. Organized by KATPS jointly with Idukki DTPC under the Department of Tourism.
• Surfing Festival International surfing championship organized annually at Varkala, Kerala, with technical support from the Surfing Federation of India and the International Surfing Association.
• MTB Kerala International mountain terrain biking competition organized by Kerala Tourism in collaboration with KATPS. Recognized as the first Indian race to be included in Cycliste Internationale MTB championships.
• Online Registration Portal for Adventure Tourism Service Providers Digital accreditation platform that enables adventure tour operators and activity providers in Kerala to register online and undergo multi-level verification to be listed as accredited operators under the Department of Tourism.
• Adventure Tourism Safety and Security Regulations India's first comprehensive regulatory framework covering 31 adventure tourism activities across land, water, and air; issued as a Government Order and implemented through the operator accreditation portal. Separate tent camping guidelines were issued as an additional Government Order.
• Land-Based Adventure Activities Curated land-based adventure offerings (trekking, rock climbing, cycling) promoted across Kerala destinations and made accessible via accredited tour operators listed on the KATPS portal.
• Water-Based Adventure Activities Curated water-based adventure offerings (kayaking, surfing, scuba diving, water sports) promoted across Kerala's beaches and rivers and made accessible via accredited tour operators.
• Air-Based Adventure Activities Curated air-based adventure offerings, primarily paragliding, organized at Kerala hill stations such as Vagamon and Munnar, and made accessible via accredited tour operators.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Tourism, Government of KeralacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026KATPS operates under the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala. The Department introduced the Online Registration Portal for adventure tourism service providers and issues the safety regulations under government orders.
• District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), KozhikodecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026DTPC Kozhikode partners with KATPS for organizing the Malabar River Festival. The festival is organized under the aegis of KATPS and DTPC in association with Kozhikode District Panchayat.
• Kozhikode District PanchayatcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partners with KATPS and DTPC for organizing the Malabar River Festival, providing local government support and resources.
• Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association (IKCA)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Provides technical management for the Malabar River Festival, ensuring international standards for whitewater kayaking competitions.
• Thiruvananthapuram DTPCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partners with KATPS for organizing the International Surfing Festival in Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram district.
• Surfing Federation of India (SFI)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Provides technical support for the International Surfing Festival, the first National Surfing Championship of 2025.
• International Surfing Association (ISA)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Provides international technical support and standards for the International Surfing Festival in Varkala.
• Idukki District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Jointly organizes the Paragliding Festival with KATPS under the Department of Tourism. The Vagamon International Accuracy Cup 2025 is hosted in Idukki District.
• Paragliding Association of IndiacoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides technical support for the Paragliding Festival organized by KATPS under the Department of Tourism.
• Adventure Sports and Sustainable Tourism Academy (AASTA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with KATPS and Kerala Tourism for organizing the Paragliding Festival at Vagamon.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• TourRadar: Global multi-day adventure tour marketplace that includes Kerala adventure packages — comparable as a broader international adventure-tour aggregator that channels demand away from state-level booking platforms.
• Thrillophilia: India's largest online adventure activities marketplace, aggregating operator inventory including adventures in Kerala — comparable as the dominant private-sector channel for adventure tourism discovery and bookings against which KATPS's digital presence competes.

Direct peers

• Goa Tourism Development Corporation: State tourism body promoting Goa as a destination including water-based adventure activities — directly comparable as a state-government tourism promotion organization with overlapping surf and water-sport offerings.
• Indian Mountaineering Foundation: National body overseeing mountaineering and allied adventure sports in India, with its own accreditation and training framework — overlaps with KATPS's adventure safety and training role, though at a national rather than state level.
• Karnataka Jungle Lodges & Resorts Ltd: Government of Karnataka undertaking that operates adventure and wildlife tourism lodges and activities — a near-identical state-government adventure tourism operator model, making it the most directly comparable domestic peer.
• Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation: State tourism body for Rajasthan, running adventure and heritage tourism offerings including desert activities — comparable as a state-government adventure tourism operator with a similar event-driven model.
• Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board: State tourism board promoting adventure tourism in Uttarakhand — comparable state-led adventure tourism destination marketing entity with overlapping trekking, rafting, and air-sport activities.
• Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation: State tourism body operating Himalayan adventure activities (paragliding, trekking, skiing) — comparable to KATPS for adventure tourism in a mountainous Indian state, particularly for air-based activities.
• Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation: State tourism corporation that promotes adventure (trekking, water sports, wildlife) across Madhya Pradesh — directly comparable to KATPS as a state-government destination marketing and adventure operations body.
• Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI): National industry body that sets adventure tourism standards and accredits operators across India. Directly comparable as the sector's national-level counterpart to KATPS's regulatory and accreditation mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/keralaadventuretourismp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society