KOCHI: Struggling to keep its business afloat amid the never-ending pandemic ordeal, the hospitality sector is relying on offers to woo domestic travellers this summer. According to many tourism industry operators in the city, if this summer vacation also fails to bring in business, the sector will be in an unprecedented crisis it may never recover from.
“After nearly six months of standstill owing to the lockdown last year, we were just limping back to normalcy over the past three months. Now, the second wave and tight restrictions on inter-state travel have hit us hard again. Though hotels and tour operators have come out with attractive offers for local tourists, it has failed to garner any traction,” says Baby Mathew, president of Kerala Travel Mart.
The sector is in dire need of government support to recover from the crisis, he says. “Another round of moratorium should be announced to help those struggling to repay loans. There should also be waivers on building taxes and GST. Both the state and Central governments should immediately intervene and take action,” he added.
Saby Jose, director of Blu Vacations, said people are hesitant to travel even inside the state because of the strict restrictions. “Until a month ago, we were seeing tourists from other states in destinations like Munnar and Wayanad. We usually get a lot of good opportunities during summer vacations. Now, however, everything has come to a standstill again,” he said.
Meanwhile, several stakeholders in the sector have come together and formed a body called ‘Tourism Samrakshana Samithi’ to raise their grievances before the government. “The pandemic has hit the tourism sector the hardest. We want the government to lift all restrictions imposed on tourist movement within the state. A tax waiver should be given to all tourist vehicles for a year. All those working in the industry hould be provided free vaccine at the earliest,” said P V Manu, a member of the samithi.