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Tourism Minister P. C. Vishnunadh visited the Kerala pavilion at the Dubai World Trade Centre and met UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri as the state sought to deepen engagement with one of its most important overseas visitor markets. He was accompanied by Tourism Secretary Biju K.

Vishnunadh said the Middle East remained significant for Kerala because of the state’s longstanding links with the UAE and the region’s importance to its tourism economy. He said Arabian Travel Market provided an opportunity for tourism businesses to understand changing demand, identify emerging opportunities and present packages designed for Gulf travellers.

Kerala Tourism said 26,255 visitors from the UAE travelled to the state in 2025, underlining the market’s value as it looks to expand international arrivals and strengthen demand beyond peak seasons.

The state’s 69-square-metre pavilion, carrying the theme “Green Peace – Yalla Kerala”, used imagery of hill stations and green landscapes alongside displays promoting established and emerging tourism products. The presentation placed emphasis on Kerala as a year-round destination, with Ayurveda and wellness, beaches, backwaters, cultural experiences and adventure travel forming key parts of the pitch.

Vishnunadh also met Sudhir Sreedharan, senior vice-president of flydubai, and officials of the Dubai Police Authority during his visit. The meetings came as Kerala Tourism used the event not only for destination promotion but also for business networking with airlines, tour operators and travel-sector partners.

Six tourism businesses from Kerala joined the pavilion as co-exhibitors: Kairali – The Ayurvedic Healing Village in Palakkad, The Elephant Court in Thekkady, Somatheeram Ayurveda Group, Intersight Tours and Travels, Santamonica Tours and Travels, and Gateway Malabar Holidays. Their participation gave buyers access to accommodation, wellness and tour products directly from operators.

Arabian Travel Market 2026, held from September 14 to 17, brought together tourism authorities, airlines, hospitality companies, tour operators and other travel businesses from the Middle East and overseas markets. Organisers positioned the 33rd edition as a platform for commercial partnerships, destination marketing and discussion of travel trends.

The UAE used ATM to launch “Visit UAE”, its first unified federal tourism identity, bringing the seven emirates under a single national tourism platform. Abdulla bin Touq said the initiative was intended to present the country as an integrated destination and support stronger cooperation across tourism.

Kerala’s Gulf-focused campaign extended beyond the exhibition floor. At a Kerala travel meet in Dubai built around the same “Green Peace – Yalla Kerala” theme, officials and private-sector participants held business-to-business meetings with UAE-based buyers.

Tourism Secretary Biju K presented Kerala’s destination portfolio and invited travel-industry representatives to Kerala Travel Mart 2026, while the state highlighted its appeal across leisure, wellness, culture and nature-based travel. The engagement was designed to convert destination visibility into business links with tour operators and distributors serving Gulf customers.

Kerala has been placing greater emphasis on the Arab market because demand from the region often overlaps with the state’s monsoon and shoulder seasons, when Ayurveda, wellness and nature-based travel can help spread visitor flows more evenly through the year.

That approach also reflects growing competition among destinations for Gulf travellers, who have access to extensive direct and one-stop air connectivity through Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and other regional hubs. Kerala’s strategy at the fair focused on product differentiation rather than a single tourism segment, combining established attractions with experiential offerings.

The Maldives also maintained a presence at the Dubai event, with 165 industry representatives from 74 tourism companies participating alongside official tourism bodies. Its delegation used the fair to pursue airline partnerships and destination marketing agreements aimed at improving connectivity and widening market reach.

WRISE Prestige records over300% revenue growth in HK since end-2024, expands to more than 400 IWCs and advances a new professional standard combining human expertise, independence and AI

• Assets under management increased by 927%, revenue grew by 301% and the number of clients increased by 382% compared with the end of 2024.
• WRISE Prestige’s network has expanded to more than 400 Independent Wealth Consultants (IWCs) in Hong Kong.
• The broader WRISE ecosystem has added capabilities spanning family office and wealth planning, corporate advisory, trust and legacy planning, structured products, international insurance and AI labs, while the IWC proposition evolves from Independent Wealth Consultant to Intelligent Wealth Consultant.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 September 2026 – WRISE Prestige, a core business of WRISE Group serving affluent and high-net-worth clients through a network of wealth consultants, is set to celebrate its second anniversary in Hong Kong on 16 September, marking two years of rapid growth and the next chapter in its approach to wealth advisory.

Since the end of 2024, WRISE Prestige in Hong Kong has recorded 927% growth in assets under management (AUM), 301% growth in revenue and a 382% increase in the number of clients. Its Hong Kong network has also grown to more than 400 IWCs, reflecting rising demand for independent, people-led advice and broader access to integrated wealth solutions.

Over the past two years, WRISE Prestige has broadened its role within the WRISE ecosystem, connecting clients with capabilities across different aspects of wealth and advisory. These include WRISE Capital for corporate finance and advisory services, WRISE Private for family office solutions and sophisticated wealth planning, and WRISE Master Trust for wealth structuring and legacy planning.

WRISE Prestige has broadened its solution capabilities in parallel, expanding its insurance spectrum from local offerings to Bermuda solutions and connecting clients with investment, banking, protection, trust and corporate advisory resources.

Client demand has become increasingly diverse, spanning liquidity, income, diversification, downside management, succession and cross-jurisdictional wealth planning. Structured products may be considered as part of client solutions where suitable, depending on risk tolerance and circumstances, illustrating the need for tailored risk-return outcomes rather than one-size-fits-all distribution.

The Group’s expanding regional footprint, including presences in Taipei, Shenzhen, Changsha, Chengdu, Wuxi and Vancouver, further strengthens WRISE Prestige’s ability to connect clients and wealth consultants with capabilities across markets.

The evolution comes as Hong Kong’s wealth management industry reaches a new scale. According to the Securities and Futures Commission, AUM in Hong Kong’s private banking and private wealth management business rose 24% year-on-year to HK$12.9 trillion at the end of 2025.^[1]

As wealth grows, the needs behind it are becoming increasingly complex. Clients require holistic advice connecting investments and protection with family governance, business interests, succession and intergenerational planning. They increasingly value sound judgement, independence, expertise, trust and connectivity to a wider wealth ecosystem.

WRISE Prestige believes this is expanding the role of the wealth consultant. Building on the foundations of independent wealth advisory, the IWC approach puts the individual at the centre, considering their family, business, aspirations, risks and legacy, while drawing on a broader ecosystem to address wealth more holistically. Within this approach, independence refers to an open-architecture model that gives wealth consultants the flexibility to consider solutions from a broad range of financial institutions and providers, rather than being tied to a single institution or product. This approach does not imply the absence of conflicts of interest; any applicable conflicts are managed and disclosed in accordance with relevant policies and regulatory requirements.

IWC is now entering its next chapter, evolving from Independent Wealth Consultant to Intelligent Wealth Consultant. The new proposition builds on the open-architecture approach, trusted human relationships and professional expertise that have defined IWC, while bringing together the research, analytical and efficiency capabilities of AI.

Technology can enhance how wealth consultants analyse information, generate insights and serve clients, while human judgement, accountability and relationships remain at the heart of wealth advice. The goal is not to replace wealth consultants with AI, but to empower them with greater capabilities to support better-informed, more holistic wealth decisions.

As part of this evolution, WRISE Prestige is also strengthening the professional development pathway for its IWC network through QLC, a structured professional assessment covering four specialist areas relevant to the evolving needs of high-net-worth clients: Family Office, Trust, Offshore Insurance and Advanced Investment. IWCs who complete the QLC examination will earn the designation of IWC-Certified, establishing a common foundation of professional knowledge and standards across the network. Following certification, IWCs can continue to develop through pathways recognising both professional expertise and business performance.

Henry Shin, CEO of WRISE Prestige Hong Kong, said: “The wealth management industry has continuously evolved, from traditional institution-led models, to the emergence of independent financial advice, and now towards a new generation of wealth advisory. We believe the next stage of this evolution is intelligence.

Intelligent Wealth Consultant brings together the independence and trust that have always been fundamental to wealth advice with professional expertise, human judgement, and the insights and analytical capabilities of artificial intelligence. This is not about replacing the human element with technology, but about empowering our consultants with technology to deliver deeper insights and help clients make more informed and holistic wealth decisions.

At WRISE Prestige, we aspire to take this evolution one step further, not simply to witness the transformation of our industry, but to work alongside the industry in helping shape best practices for the next generation of wealth advisory.”

Looking ahead, WRISE Prestige expects wealth management to become more connected, technology-enabled and accessible. Its focus will remain on combining technology with human judgement and relationships, using technology to improve connectivity, insight and scalability while maintaining appropriate professional and regulatory standards.

Over the next two to three years, WRISE Prestige plans to expand its business-to-business capabilities and advance an Open-EAM architecture that connects IWCs, external asset manager partners and clients through the broader WRISE ecosystem. The architecture is intended to make it easier for wealth consultants and partners to access specialist capabilities across wealth management, banking, investments, protection, trust and corporate advisory services, supported by technology and the WRISE platform.

Through this approach, WRISE Prestige aims to create greater connectivity and scale for wealth consultants, more integrated choices for clients, and a stronger professional ecosystem for Hong Kong and the region. Its ambition for the next chapter is not only to grow its own platform, but also to contribute to the continued development of wealth advisory across the industry.

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About WRISE

WRISE is one of Asia’s fastest-growing financial firms, driven by strategic acquisitions of companies with deep expertise and solid foundations. With a strong presence across key financial hubs including Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Tokyo, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Changsha, Chengdu, Wuxi, Taipei and Vancouver, WRISE is home to one of the largest networks of independent qualified advisors. With over 600 employees located globally, supported by an ecosystem of over 200 financial intermediaries and access to eight booking centres worldwide, WRISE ensures unparalleled service and expertise in navigating today’s financial landscape.

WRISE Group of companies include WRISE Wealth Management (Singapore), WRISE Wealth Management (Hong Kong), WRISE Wealth Management Middle East Ltd (DIFC, regulated by the DFSA), WRISE Prestige (Hong Kong), WRISE Prestige Securities (Hong Kong), WRISE Prestige Asset Management (Hong Kong), WRISE Capital (Hong Kong), WRISE Financial Services (Hong Kong), and affiliates including WeWrise Services.