The rise of South India as a destination wedding hub will depend as much on changing industry mindsets as expanding infrastructure, according to discussions moderated by Rajeev Jain at the Travel Wedding Show. The session highlighted how awareness, rather than capability, remains the biggest hurdle to driving wedding business beyond traditional favourites.
Rajeev Jain, Founder and Director, Rashi Entertainment, challenged long-standing perceptions during the panel discussion, The Rise of New Destinations: Beyond Jaipur and Goa, urging the wedding industry to rethink why Goa and Jaipur continue to dominate client conversations despite the emergence of well-equipped alternatives across South India.
Opening the discussion, Jain questioned why wedding planners themselves continue to default to familiar destinations. “Clients still default to Goa for beach weddings, showing a lack of awareness about South India destinations,” he said, adding that planners must also examine their own biases when recommending venues.
Jain noted that while South India has developed quality hospitality infrastructure, improved connectivity, and competitive pricing, these strengths are yet to translate into consistent wedding bookings from North and West India.
The discussion revealed that industry awareness continues to trail infrastructure development.
Raju Kannampuzha, Managing Director, Executive Events, said Kerala entered the destination wedding market only in recent years, with the pandemic accelerating demand as international travel restrictions encouraged couples to explore domestic alternatives. He added that the Kerala government has now demonstrated serious commitment by investing INR8–10 crore in a dedicated Kerala Travel Mart focused on weddings and MICE.
Dr Sudarshan Seshadri, Managing Director, Mark 1 Events & Decors, highlighted that Tamil Nadu permits beach weddings for a fee as low as INR10,000, but the policy remains largely unknown because of inadequate communication. He stressed that stronger engagement between the government and the events industry is needed to improve destination visibility.
Cost competitiveness also emerged as a major advantage. C. Srisailam, Director, Rise Advertising, said South India remains around 15–20 per cent more cost-effective than North India, although this pricing advantage alone has not been enough to change buying behaviour.
Jain observed that destinations such as Rajasthan have become significantly more expensive, creating an opportunity for southern states if awareness improves and planners gain greater confidence in recommending them.
The panel also challenged misconceptions around infrastructure. Alla Balaram Babu, President and Co-founder, TCEI, said South India regularly hosts weddings with 3,000–4,000 guests across expansive venues, but has failed to showcase these capabilities effectively.
Supporting this view, Martin Emmanuel, Founder and Managing Director, Razzmatazz Ventures, noted that Kerala has the country’s largest inventory of five-star hotels, providing substantial capacity for large-scale destination weddings.
Throughout the discussion, Jain steered the conversation towards practical solutions rather than simply celebrating emerging destinations. Panellists agreed that improving promotion, educating planners, and creating stronger collaboration between industry stakeholders and state governments will be essential to changing perceptions.
The session concluded with a common message: South India already possesses the infrastructure, inventory, and cost advantages needed to compete with established wedding destinations. The next challenge is ensuring those strengths become part of every planner’s first conversation with clients rather than an afterthought.
Rahul Bhadana is a digital editor at TravTalk with experience spanning multiple content niches, with a strong focus on travel trade journalism and digital publishing. A graduate of Delhi University, his work covers editorial writing, content strategy and platform-led storytelling, supporting TravTalk’s digital growth and industry engagement. A technology enthusiast, he enjoys films, poetry and exploring new ideas across media and culture.