Tourism has been and will, in the foreseeable future, remain the main revenue stream for Kerala. This means the state cannot afford to take lightly anything that is disruptive to the smooth operation of the multiple variables that make Kerala tourism tick. In 2017, the state saw the best numbers since 2008 as 1.46 crore domestic tourists made their way to Kerala, along with a corresponding rise in the arrival of foreign tourists. As a result, the state earned a record revenue of `33,383 crore in 2017.
The rush of tourists who spend time and money on Kerala’s beaches, backwaters and hill stations initially continued in 2018, with both foreign and domestic tourist arrivals registering a growth of 12.13 per cent and 18.57 per cent respectively in the first quarter. However, it was a mixed bag in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the growth fell. The keenness of both the domestic and foreign tourists tapered and the numbers were just 3.5 per cent and 13.5 per cent respectively over July-September.
Sure, the state had its share of bad luck, as the devastating floods, which took away more than 400 lives and destroyed property worth thousands of crores, followed the Nipah outbreak. But the poor show during this Sabarimala season, which accounts for a significant share of domestic tourists and about `15,000 crore by way of their aggregate spending in the state, is sending shivers up the spine of the tourism industry.
With only six weeks to go this year, Kerala tourism, for the first time in over a decade, is sure to declare a negative growth year. The tagline coined by the same tourism industry many decades ago showcases the state as a land fit for the Gods, but the present goings on are definitely not helping the cause. The world is now spoilt for choice with the rise of many ‘budget’ tourist destinations and Kerala can no longer afford to take its tourists for granted.