Kerala Tourism fully backs new liquor policy: Minister

The captains of the tourism industry have taken up the likely impact to the tourism sector on account of the new abkari policy with the government. Says attempt is to address a social issue

Kerala Tourism fully backs liquor policy of the government and there is no going back on it in the wake of apprehensions raised by the tourism industry that it will lead to the State losing its preferred-destination status.

Disclosing this while replying to queries at a press conference here on Tuesday, Minister for Tourism A.P. Anil Kumar said tourists were coming to Kerala to see the tourist places and experience the products the State has to offer.

The captains of the tourism industry have taken up the likely impact to the tourism sector on account of the new abkari policy with the government. “We are trying to verify reports about the cancellations for MICE tourism through our own sources,” he said.

The Tourism Department cannot take a decision on its own as the government had stepped in to address the social issue, Mr. Anil Kumar said.

Abraham George, president, Kerala Travel Mart Society, said they were hoping that the government and the judiciary would come out with steps to address the issues raised by tourism industry.

“The policy will lead to dip in tourist arrivals and we want the burgeoning tourism industry to survive in Kerala,” he said.

E.M. Najeeb, chairman of Confederation of Tourism Industry Kerala and former president of the KTM Society, said they were demanding only “soft facilities in tourist destinations in the State for the tourists who take occasional drinks.”