Copious rain across the State has brought cheer to the tourism industry. The travel and hospitality sector is expecting big business during the two consecutive long weekends this month.
With popular destinations in Kerala such as Munnar and Thekkady taking a beating following the recent heavy rain, monsoon tourism destinations in Karnataka such as Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Shimoga are among those that are in high demand.
The first long weekend begins on Friday with holiday declared for Id-ul-Fitr while the next one coincides with the Independence Day holiday.
“It is now nearly impossible to get a good accommodation in Kodagu or Chikmagalur. They were booked even before the recent heavy rainfall in Kerala,” an official in a leading travel agency said.
As a number of people were travelling in taxis, getting a car had also become difficult, he added.
However, an hotelier in Madikeri said the season would have been better if the condition of roads was good. “Roads connecting Madikeri to Mangalore and Mysore have been damaged following the recent downpour,” he said.
