Kerala Institute for Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS), the entrepreneurship and human resource development centre under the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, has been bestowed with the prestigious national honour from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for ‘Excellence in Creating Employment & Entrepreneurship’.
KITTS received the Special Jury Award at the Higher Education Excellence Awards instituted by FICCI to honour higher education institutions across India for their exceptional achievements and contributions. Dr. Dileep M. R., Director of KITTS, received the award from Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, at the 20th FICCI International Higher Education Summit held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Congratulating KITTS on this national recognition, P. A. Mohamed Riyas, Kerala Tourism Minister, said, “This award comes as a recognition of Kerala Tourism’s commitment towards developing a highly skilled human resource pool in the tourism sector. It also reflects the importance given by the state to skilling, research, and development in tourism at a time when Kerala’s travel and hospitality industry is witnessing sustainable growth.”
The Minister further noted that the process of elevating KITTS into a Centre of Excellence is in its final stage.
K. Biju, Tourism Secretary, added that the award reaffirms Kerala Tourism’s focused efforts to transform KITTS into a Centre of Excellence by extending all necessary institutional and infrastructural support.
Echoing the sentiment, Sikha Surendran, Director, Kerala Tourism, said, “This honour validates the visionary approach taken by the Tourism Department towards skill development in the tourism sector. It reassures us that we are on the right path to nurturing a globally competitive tourism workforce.”
KITTS has earned a strong reputation for delivering world-class training and education in tourism and hospitality through its wide range of academic programmes. The institute consistently excels in campus placements, with students securing positions in leading organisations across India and overseas, including in Europe. In addition to academic excellence, KITTS has been a frontrunner in entrepreneurship training, especially in the homestay and hospitality sectors, while also offering specialised courses for tour guides and adventure tourism professionals. These initiatives have collectively created significant employment opportunities and strengthened the human resource ecosystem of Kerala’s tourism industry.
With this national recognition from FICCI, KITTS continues to reinforce its role as a key driver of innovation, entrepreneurship, and skill excellence in India’s tourism education landscape.