THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
The travel trade and the hospitality industry are keeping their fingers crossed hoping that agitations in the wake of the Centre’s decision to implement the Kasturirangan committee report do not turn away tourists from Kerala.
Violent incidents in Idukki, Wayanad, Kozhikode, and Kannur, Monday’s hartal called the LDF, and the 48-hour “occupy the streets” blockade in Idukki have upset the itinerary of the tourists, both domestic and foreign.
Besides, the hartal and agitations have inconvenienced tour operators and taxi drivers as they cannot honour the travel itinerary of their clients who had made reservations months ago.
On Sunday, three women tourists from the U.S., visiting the State for the first time, had to check out from their hotel at Thekkady at 2 a.m. to reach Munnar before the hartal. As there were no rooms at the hill resort, they were forced to sleep in cars till the tour operator managed to get rooms.
Full report here Hindu
