Nipah virus dents Kerala tourism, industry working to bring back confidence

The Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala is affecting the state’s tourism industry, with many of the tourism destinations witnessing cancellations. The high-level Kochi visit of the Belgian Trade Commissioner to India was scheduled for May 25, but it has now been called off. Local industry estimates the loss on account of the cancellations so far at Rs 300-500 million.

The health situation in Kerala has been brought under control by the state government, by not allowing the virus infection from spreading to more locations. This should help the industry return to normal, expects tourism players.

With over 10 deaths due to the deadly Nipah virus being reported from northern Kerala, the state government had earlier issued an advisory asking travellers to avoid visiting the four districts of Kozhikode, Malappuram, Waynad and Kannur.

Karan Anand, head of relationships at Cox & Kings was quoted as saying in a report that “there has not been any cancellation from tourists travelling to Kerala, as a majority of them visit South Kerala (which is relatively free of the Nipah menace)". Moreover, the number of tourists who travel to Kerala at this time of the year are few, since it is off season.

Representatives from a hotel association said that the important tourist destinations of Waynad, Malabar, Kozhikode and the neighbouring region are bearig the brunt of cancellations, since the affected areas are in the region.

There have been 15-20 per cent cancellation of bookings towards the end of the tourism season in the state, and tourist are preferring Mysuru and Coorg to Kerala destinations.

E M Najeeb, president of the Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry (CKTI) said: "Important tourism-originating states for Kerala are being influenced by the fear, and that could eventually affect our tourism industry. The fear, to a great extend is baseless." The Kerala health ministry and all related authorities had taken the best precaution to contain this situation and now this was seen as under control, he added in a statement.