KOTTAYAM: Despite various attempts by the government to enhance the water tourism possibilities of the district, the houseboat industry is having a dull time. This year the season had a slow start with a drop in revenue and the number of tourists.
Houseboats entered the tourism industry during the 1990s as a novel concept. The next two decades were their golden age.
They became icons of Kerala Tourism and was a major crowd puller by 2000. Currently, there are around 600 houseboats in Kumarakom and 1,200 in Alappuzha.
“Nowadays, most of their clients come as part of a tourism package. Tourists often opt for cheaper packages, and the travel agencies apply pressure on the proprietors to bring down charges. We have brought down the charges, but the labour charge, fuel price and other expenses had gone up, so that it is no longer a profitable business,” says D Vijayakumar, the proprietor of Gargi Holidays.
According to Vijayakumar, their profit has come down to `1.6 lakh per month against `7 lakhs they used to earn three years ago. He says that the recently imposed liquor ban in the state also affected the industry.
“The number of foreign tourists and those from North Indian states, especially West Bengal and Gujarat experienced a sudden drop in number as an effect of unavailability of liquor. The liquor ban in Kerala, being a potential tourist destination, has become a topic of interest in various tourism circles. The recent hike in airfares also had an adverse effect on tourism,” he added.
The lack of basic facilities in our tourism destinations add to these issues. The rampant pollution of Vembanadu Lake has become a major turn off to the visitors in the recent past.
Water channels have been marked in the Lake for houseboats separately, clearing the garbage, water hyacinths and mud. The houseboat operators are compelled to stick to it as they don’t want their boats to get damaged.
However, a group of proprietors recently approached the authorities seeking to elevate three bridges in the Kottayam-Kumarakom Route, so that they can use the possibilities of inland waterways also.
The three bridges at Kavanattinkara, Cheepunkal and Kaippuzhamuttu are hindering the houseboats from entering the rivers.
Those who run resorts in the Kumarakom area also agree that they are having a crisis situation this year.
According to a proprietor, most of these resorts are not making any profit even during the season. Moreover, investments in resorts are being done mainly with an eye on their resale value.