The long line of tourists are back at the houseboat terminal in Kottayam, while the local businesses have mostly reopened. Houseboats are cruising along the backwaters and the canal banks, and tree-lined pathways are once again bustling with visitors.
A few months since the pandemic wave subsided, it’s business as usual for the lake-side destinations from Kumarkom to Vaikom. The summer holidays have provided a welcome boost to tourism here, with almost all hotels and home stays booked to capacity and just about all of the houseboats reporting full-scale operations.
According to K. Arun Kumar, secretary, Chamber of Vembanad Hotels and Resorts (CVHR), majority of the hotel and resort operators here have witnessed a near-100% booking since the second week of April. “Groups from North India are coming in frequently, either as business tours or family groups,” he said.
