The tourism industry in the state had been hit hard during the deluge of 2018. Tourism accounts for 12 percent of Kerala’s economy and the flooding that forced tourists to cancel their trips, had brought losses to the hospitality business owners in the state. The flood damaged roads, rail-lines and airports, and sometimes even properties, making it hard for travelers to reach their destination.
But, within a couple of months, the industry bounced back with 90 of the destinations ready to accommodate tourists for the upcoming tourism season. According to the tourism minister, most of the tourist spots of the state remained unaffected during the flood.
The Department of Tourism conducted a ‘tourism readiness survey’ in September 2018 with district-level officials visiting 70 major tourist destinations in 14 districts in the state. It assessed them based on three parameters – overall impact by the flood, damage to road connectivity and condition of hotels and resorts in the area, according to a senior official.
Almost 90 of the major tourist destinations including Munnar, Thekkady and Kumarakom were found restored during the survey. A few destinations in Palakkad and Thrissur were on the road to recovery by then.
Most of the historic monuments, tourist accommodations and attractions across the state were intact. The actual damage was experienced by infrastructures, roads and plantations. Initially, 38 sites out of the 70 sites were safe. 22 were restored within a couple of months.
The Adventure Tour Operators Association of India was actively involved in the resuce operations during the floods. The association sent 20 boats and kayaks to the state along with 27 trained personnel who constantly plunge through the rapids of Himalayas for white water rafting in Uttarakhand. The personnel negotiated through the toughest expanses during the floods at the confluence of the Periyar and Chaliyar to rescue 850 plus people who were marooned.
It was at the initiative of Commander Sam T. Samuel, Managing Director, Kalypso Adventure, who is the National Executive Member of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India, that the team travelled from Uttarakhand to Kerala via New Delhi to join the rescue operations in Kerala.
It was also following the floods of 2018 that Kerala Tourism launched a new campaign, ‘Human by Nature’, that struck a chord with people across the country and the world.
The Kerala Travel Mart Society, which was then very apprehensive about holding the biannual Kerala Travel Mart in the last week of September in Kochi, was encouraged by the Department of Tourism to go ahead with the expo. And it turned out to be a grand success.
