The former French outpost of Puducherry which is normally abuzz with tourists during the weekends is now seeing a steep drop in footfall due to incessant rains over the last few days.
On an average, the occupancy in hotels in the city during weekends is 100%. Due to the heavy rains, we faced 30 to 40% slump in the hotel occupancy, said a hotelier.
“The hospitality industry has already been going through a rough patch and there has been a 5 to 10% dip in occupancy levels over the last three years. The inclement weather has only added to the woes, said Prosper Anand, treasurer of Pondicherry Hotel Owners’ Association.
There has been a deluge of last minute cancellations from tourists due to rains with a request not to levy cancellation charges. While established players in the industry have been able to manage, StartUps are finding it difficult to sustain.
From 2012 to 2017, the industry has witnessed a 30% drop in tourist footfall. Each hotel, on an average, has seen a dip of 10 to 15% in tourist arrivals, he said.
Ravindra Raju, general manager of hotel Accord, said tourists from Bengaluru and northern parts of India had cancelled their reservations. “Tourists are worried about travelling on roads on both sides of the border - the East Coast Road and the Tindivanam National Highway. The situation is likely to continue over the next week until we have a clear weather forecast,” he said.
