KOCHI: The tourism sector in Kerala constitutes 10 per cent of the state’s GDP; more importantly, it accounts for close to 25 per cent of employment. However, with the global pandemic outbreak bringing the industry to its knees, the gross loss faced by the tourism sector in the state as of August this year has been pegged at a whopping `25,000 crore.
This is more than 50 per cent of the total turnover of `45,000 crore recorded in 2019. In an attempt to provide life support, the Association of Tourism and Trade Organisation of India (ATTOI) with the backing of Tourism Department has launched the ‘Keralam Kanaam’ campaign which aims to offer luxury staycations at affordable rates to local people eager to get out of the confines of their
homes.
More than 35 resorts and hotels registered with the dedicated portal have come up with special discounted deals and packages like never before. “Though Kerala is a popular tourist destination for outsiders, many Malayalis have not experienced what their home state has to offer. Hence, were are making luxury holidays accessible to the public.
All the resorts and hotels registered on the website, including 5-star hotels, have slashed their rates to between `4,000 and `5,000 per day. So this is, in fact, the perfect time for people on a budget as they can avail a comfortable stay for as low as `1,500,” said P V Manu, secretary, ATTOI.
The initiative is expected to provide a breather to the sector which is hoping to bounce back by the end of this year when the peak tourist season hits. While the Tourism Department is already in the works for a major big blast marketing campaign for the post-Covid scenario; the focus, for now, seems to be on propelling local tourism.
“The priority is to instil confidence among travellers that it is safe to visit Kerala, encouraging local tourism by offering attractive packages is the way to go about it. We have received reports that a few resorts in Wayanad are running with maximum capacity in tune with Covid-19 protocols,” said K Raj Kumar, joint director, DTDC, Ernakulam.
Though the marginal tourist movement witnessed among domestic visitors over the past month is promising; the footfall of travellers from other states is nil. “Keralam Kanaam is the first step towards recovery. We want the tourists to realise that the Kerala experience inherently comes with social distancing practices. We don’t have many mass tourism spots and activities like houseboat rides, plantation visits and eco-tourism are all catered to a small group of people or families,” said P Bala Kiran, director, Department of Tourism.