Kerala tourism back, but no bang
KOCHI: After the pandemic lull, ‘revenge travellers’ from across India have been flocking to Kerala. Thanks to the trend, over the past nine months, the state has registered a record spike in domestic tourist arrivals. As per tourism department data, about 1.33 crore domestic tourists visited Kerala till September this year. This is considerably high, compared with tourist footfalls recorded during the same period in 2019.
Though the remarkable spike has spurred hopes of the Covid-battered tourism industry, insiders say it is too early to pop the cork. Tourism officials note that about 60 to 65 per cent of the tourists were Keralites.
“The pandemic put a brake on tourism and people were stuck at home,” says a senior official.
“However, as soon as the restrictions were lifted, Malayalis started travelling more than ever, especially within the state. That is a new trend.”.
People from Tamil Nadu come second in terms of the number of domestic tourists. “Then, a large majority of the arrivals are from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.”
Miles to go
Even as Kerala boasts of a tourism sector that is reviving faster, the industry appears dissatisfied with the scale of marketing carried out by the government. “Kerala is one of the most-visited destinations, after Kashmir. And we could have achieved more with better campaigning to capitalise on the trend of domestic revenge tourism,” says inbound tour guide Rajesh P R.
“We, however, failed to market Kerala in the domestic and international markets. We are still getting visitors only because of the past charm and goodwill.” The tourism sector makes a significant contribution to Kerala’s economy. In 2019, the total turnover was Rs 45,019 crore.
“It’s high time the government gave top priority to the tourism industry. I arrived in Idukki yesterday and there was a hartal in the district. Vehicles were being stopped by the protestors, and all tourism activities were halted. Those vacationing in Kerala are forced to give up their plans because of such political issues. The government should take efforts to spare tourism from hartals and protests.”
Kerala received over
11.9 lakh foreign tourists and 1.84 crore domestic tourists in 2019, registering an annual growth of 8.52 per cent and 17.81 per cent, respectively. However, in 2020-21, the tourism industry crashed with a loss of Rs 20,000 crore.
‘Govt needs to do more’
The acute shortage of quality human resources in the tourism and hospitality industry, too, is a fresh challenge. Sources say there is a 40 to 60 per cent human resource shortage in the sector. “We lack quality personnel in the hospitality industry,” says Shaik Ismail, president of the Tourism Professionals Club and Tourism Care Foundation.
“Compared with pre-pandemic times, many of the hotels and resorts have fewer staff. We are getting a lot of complaints from stakeholders about the staff crunch. This will adversely impact our industry, as the quality of service is getting compromised.”
Shaik says he has placed a proposal before the government to organise a job fair for recruiting professionals in various segments of the industry. “However, the government is yet to respond. It’s disheartening to see that our government is not studying the actual requirement or taking any feedback from the industry.”
Shaik alleges that the official data on tourist arrivals is inaccurate. “Compared with destinations in other states, Kerala is yet to really pick up. Data on arrivals is not being gathered scientifically,” he adds.
“Kerala is known for its beaches. However, there is not a single one where tourists can swim. There are no basic amenities – no toilets, cloakrooms or changing rooms. Instead of making tall claims, the state should provide better facilities. There is little life after 8pm in most of these destinations.”
‘Data accurate’
A senior tourism department official, however, maintains that the statistics on tourist arrivals are accurate. “We are collecting sample data from the economics and statistics department, and there are more than 7,000 tourist accommodation units in the state,” says the official, who works in the department’s research wing. “The numbers would only go up further if we take the actual footfall.”
On the dearth of human resources, the official adds that the situation would improve gradually. “Many people left the industry due to the pandemic, and there is, indeed, a severe shortage of staff,” the official says. “The sector has opened up after two years, and things will gradually improve along with the surge in tourist arrivals.”
‘Need Rs 150 crore’
The state has launched several innovative initiatives, including the ‘destination challenges’ and ‘women-friendly Kerala’ programmes. However, the shortage of funds to market the ‘Kerala Tourism’ brand is throwing a wrench in revival plans. The fund crunch comes at a time when stakeholders complain that foreign tourist arrivals are yet to pick up.
An official alleges the budget allocation was “inadequate” to meet the growing demands. “We got Rs 10 crore more this financial year. That did not help much,” says the official. “The department has placed a request to release another Rs 150 crore for marketing and promoting tourism. The proposal is under the consideration of the Planning Board.”
In 2019, nearly 12 lakh foreign tourists visited Kerala. “This year we hope to receive only 4.5 to 5 lakh foreign tourists.”
