Munnar is witnessing a steady rise in the number of tourists during the Christmas-New Year season after a lull following the floods.
The manager of a hotel said it was after six months that visitors started arriving in Munnar.
However, he said it could not be predicted for sure that more tourists would be visiting the destination this season.
There was a sudden rush of visitors in the past four days to the tourism town, most of them from Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, and Tamil Nadu. He also said the number of foreign tourists was less in comparison to the season last year.
To Rajamala
The majority of tourists went to Rajamala at the Eravikulam National Park (ENP) and Mattupetty, he said adding that usually more tourists visited Munnar during the winter season.
An ENP official said Rajamala witnessed the maximum allowed entry of 3,500 visitors a day in the past four days.
There was also long queues for boating at Mattupetty Lake. Old Munnar and nearby areas experienced traffic congestion during peak hours.
The number of visitors to Thekkady and Kumily is also on the rise.
Many hotels and eateries that had been closed for long reopened at Kumily. However, transport operators are not happy with many taxis and autos idling.
A taxi operator near the Kumily bus stand said they did not get the usual number of customers these days. Usually, there would be regular services to Munnar from Kumily. However, bookings for the services were low compared to the same period last year.
He expected more tourists to visit the destination in January, as this was the peak tourism season.
The flow of visitors to the Idukki and Cheruthoni dams, which were opened for tourists on December 22 in connection with the Christmas/ New Year season, has also picked up in the last few days.
The entry to the Cheruthoni dam is through Paremavu Kolumban Samadhi Road. The entry fee for adults is ₹25 for adults and ₹10 for children.
Photography and electronic equipment are not allowed inside the dam area.
