Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 18 (IANS): For the second year running, Kerala has been rated the best tourist destination in the country, according to a survey.

The survey says: "Kerala topping the list is a no-brainer."

The survey was conducted by the Nielsen Company on behalf of the Outlook Traveller magazine.

"The Outlook Survey has come as a big endorsement for Brand Kerala. It will spur us to take it forward with many more new initiatives," said Kerala Tourism Secretary T.K. Manoj Kumar here.

The survey also found Kerala as the second best state for winter destination after Goa, while Rajasthan and the Andamans occupied the third and fourth slots, respectively.

In the category of beach destinations, Kerala occupies the fourth place.

Another highlight of the survey is about Kerala' coastal city of Kochi, which has emerged as the sixth best city for tourists after Jaipur, Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

This rating has come at a time when the arrival of international tourists into Kerala grew from 6.50 lakh in 2010 to 7.3 lakh in 2011.

The number of domestic tourists grew from 85 lakh to 93 lakh and on the revenue side, the total foreign exchange earnings grew by 11.18 percent to touch Rs.4,221 crore, while the total earnings grew 9.40 percent to reach Rs.19,037 crore.