Enthusiasm missing in Kovalam

While the beach resort of Kovalam is preparing for another peak tourism season, the industry is sceptical about the tourist inflow as it is almost certain that chartered flights would not operate this year.

The usual enthusiasm among hoteliers and other stake-holders is missing this time round. The poor inflow during the lean tourism season, inclement weather, and the likely impact of the abkari policy are the reasons. The off-season was bad for us, and the weather played spoilsport.

There is apprehension over the abkari policy and the general assessment is that the peak tourist season would not be rosy, says G. Sudhiesh Kumar, a hotelier.

As many as 11 chartered flights operated services from Russia last season. Ït is confirmed that chartered flights would not operate services owing to internal problems in Russia, said a tour operator. Non-arrival of chartered tourists would have a major impact as the resort is the first stopover of chartered tourists and tan-seekers who spend most of their holiday in the State, he said.

An official of Kerala Tourism told The Hindu that hotels had less occupancy during the off-season and the trend was continuing three weeks after Onam.

Amenities

The local people who rent out beach umbrellas, surfboards, and cots are back to corner vantage points on the shoreline.

A Rs.1.6-crore project to provide LED streetlights at the resort by the District Tourism Promotion Council is in the final stage and would be commissioned soon.

Capping of the pipes that release wastewater to the Eve’s and the Lighthouse beaches has not been successful. The seepage of water has become a health hazard to the holidayers.

Work on rectifying the gradient of the narrow road that leads to the Eve’s Beach is still to be taken up.

A solution to the management of garbage generated in the resort is yet to emerge.

Enthusiasm missing in Kovalam

Chartered flights unlikely to operate this peak season