Fort Kochi, considered a must-see destination, especially during the Christmas-New Year season, presents a picture of stark contrast this year, with the famed Cochin Carnival and its culmination, ‘burning of the Papanji’, standing cancelled due to the pandemic situation.
Even as domestic tourists visit the beachfront, most homestays that cater for guests from Europe remain closed.
“Such a situation is unheard of in recent memory. We had no other option but to cancel the carnival,” said P.J. Josey, treasurer, carnival committee. “Else, the organisers will be blamed for any surge in COVID-19 cases. Moreover, the recent developments show that the pandemic has struck Europe in a different form, causing mass cancellation of flights. In addition, visitors to Kerala from other States must undergo a week’s quarantine, and this has turned away many tourists. It was a particularly bad year for the carnival organisers, what with Kochi Metro Rail Limited [KMRL] demolishing a row of three heritage buildings on the beachfront to construct a Water Metro terminal, one of which housed our committee office,” he added.
According to Mr. Josey, more domestic guests would have arrived in the heritage locale but for incomplete road and drainage work by Cochin Smart Mission Limited. “Most footpaths are strewn with pre-cast slabs and other concrete debris, providing a bad time for people who loved to check out the streets which are lined by heritage buildings. Tourism agencies too must be responsive, since they are not ensuring cleanliness of the beach and its walkway,” he said.
Approximately, 80% of homestay operators in Fort Kochi are not entertaining reservations this season, to prevent health risks to their families who reside in the same compound. Unlike most other locales in Kerala, Fort Kochi banks heavily on guests from Europe. Now that they cannot come, the concept of wooing domestic tourists could become popular, he said.
