Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Industry jittery over cancellations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Those in the travel, trade and hospitality industry are keeping their fingers crossed after a U.K.-based chartered tour operator decided not to operate chartered flights and cancellations are pouring in ahead of the start of the tourist season in November.

It is now confirmed that First Choice, which operated chartered flights fortnightly from Gatwick in the United Kingdom to Thiruvananthapuram international airport during the last tourist season, has decided to dump God’s Own Country as a destination this year.

Owned by TUI, a German company, the tour operator has specifically pointed out the increase in airfare and the 15 to 20 per cent hike in hotel rates in the State as main reasons for abandoning operations from Gatwick.

The sale of the tour package, which was 65 per cent during this period last year, has come down to 15 to 18 per cent.

Airfares in the sector have gone up by 200 to 300 pounds. A 14-day holiday for two was sold for 600 pounds last year. “No one will come down paying 1,000 pounds for a 14-day holiday,” says a tour operator.

Although tour operators say the other U.K.-based chartered tour operator, My Travel, will operate from Gatwick from the second week of November, it is learnt that the response to the bookings is not encouraging.

Sol Resor, the company that operated chartered flights from Sweden in 2007 after a gap of 11 years, has decided to share seats between Muscat and Kerala this year. Industry sources confirmed that it will not be a full-fledged charter operation.

Drop in charter operations entailed by high airfares and perceptions of a costlier-than-usual destination has come as a big set back for the travel, trade and hospitality industry which was looking for a big increase in tourist arrivals this season.

Tourism industry sources said that hotels and house boat operators have started receiving cancellations from individuals and groups from abroad.

If the trend continues, it would probably lead to an estimated 25 per cent reduction in tourist arrivals this season.

E.M. Najeeb, chairman of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) Kerala Chapter, said high airfares was a matter of concern. “The issue needs to be tackled head on by various stakeholders and Kerala Tourism in order to maintain the high growth achieved over the past few years,” he said.

Speaking to The Hindu, Principal Secretary, Tourism, V. Venu said that the decline in chartered flight operations and mounting airfares were a matter of concern.

“These have to be made up through other practical means. Kerala Tourism will have to look more closely at the domestic tourism markets,” Dr. Venu added.

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