The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Tourists stay away from costly Kerala

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 22, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Tourists stay away from costly Kerala

S. Anil Radhakrishnan

Many hotels in prime spots have vacant rooms during this peak tourist season

Room tariff and houseboat rates have shot up
Other States offer stiff competition now

Thiruvananthapuram: God’s Own Country is being labelled as an ‘expensive tourist destination.’ And, there is stiff competition from other States.

No wonder, the travel, trade and hospitality sectors here are jittery over the ongoing tourism season with just days left for Christmas and New Year.

Vacant rooms in hotels even in prime destinations during the peak tourist season — December 15 to January 15 — has caused panic in the tourism industry.

Rooms are available in Kochi, Kumarakom and Thekkady even for December 31, which earlier used to be sold out weeks in advance.

Hike in room tariff in the range of 15 to 40 per cent, the silent campaign by other States that the destination is expensive and depreciation of rupee are proving costly for the industry, that is trying to come out of the chikungunya scare.

Houseboats, which have become the mascot of Kerala Tourism are overpriced with the tariff reportedly in the range of Rs. 14,000 to Rs. 17,000 for a night.

Other factors

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is coming up with a travel mart on the lines of Kerala Travel Mart, Andhra Pradesh is launching tourist train and Rajasthan is working out a travel mart to corner upper hand.

Poor air connectivity from the metros, ‘high rates’ even in low cost airlines and aggressive marketing of destinations like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Maldives has also affected the inflow of tourists to the State this season. The tariff for a single room in a leading hotel in Kochi has gone up from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 12,000. Tour operators say the trend has affected the destination badly. Many hotels depend on domestic tourists.

Kovalam, the exception

Tourism industry sources said the season had been disappointing for the hotels. The only exception is Kovalam, where hotels depend on charter operations, including one from Sweden. President, Confederation of Tourism Industry, Kerala, E. M. Najeeb, says tourism should not be taxed as the sector is doing well. “The taxes on ATF, transport, luxury, and convention are on the higher side. Electricity tariff has been increased. One cannot blame the hoteliers. We have taken up the issue with the Government and hope that it will be addressed,” he said.

A positive note

However, leading hotels having units in the State are performing well. Rooms in all prime properties of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation are full till January end. “Aggressive marketing strategy and better service helped us corner more business,” says Managing Director of KTDC, K. G. Mohanlal.

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