Kerala is one of the most scenic and popular tourist destinations in India. It is also famous for its special ayurvedic therapies and its backwaters. Kerala also leads other states in Industrial development and per capita income. Kerala is a major exporter of coir, spices, marine products, cashew, coffee and pickles. Two-thirds of the state's export income comes from food processing industry.

With a coastline of nearly 590 km, Kerala has a major port at Kochi (with a cruise terminal) and 16 smaller ports along the coast. The state is very close to global maritime trade route passing through the Indian Ocean region with Kochi International Container Trans-shipment Terminal (ICT) at Vallarpadam, which is India's first ICT. Kerala is the first state in India to have four international airports, namely in Kochi, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur.