Kerala, a tropical paradise, consistently inspired both domestic and international travel buffs to explore its serene emerald-hued backwaters, exotic hill stations, sun-kissed beaches, exotic wildlife etc. But the pandemic, like everywhere, has dashed its efforts to bridge the gap between tourism and sustainability. Now the focus is back on Kerala, which was listed among the world’s top 50 destinations to explore in 2022 by TIME magazine. In a freewheeling chat to The Hindu, Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas spoke about the efforts by Kerala Tourism to be one of the segment leaders in South Asia. Excerpts:-
How arduous is the road to recovery for Kerala Tourism?
Most of the popular destinations, including Kerala, have been fighting it hard to stage a full-scale comeback after COVID-19. The road to recovery was more challenging for Kerala as the pandemic hit the hopes of the State hardly a year after the State was ravaged by two back-to-back floods. However, it staged a strong comeback. In the first quarter of 2022, five districts in Kerala- Ernakualm, Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, Thrissur and Wayanad- recorded the highest ever footfall in the history of these districts, mostly aided by domestic travellers. But it’s true that we still have miles to go to be a segment leader in the country as well as South Asia.
