Monday, August 5, 2024
reading time: 2 minutes
Despite the sadness surrounding Wayanad over the landslides and Kerala’s ongoing struggle to deal with the disaster, the tragedy is beginning to cast a shadow over the state’s mountain tourism prospects, which contributes more than 10% to the state’s GDP.
Mountain tourism and shallow water tourism are two major factors that attract tourists to Kerala. However, the rise in “mass tourism” is increasingly affecting the “quality tourism” that Kerala is trying to promote, similar to the models seen in many developed countries. The influx of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of tourists into small, ecologically fragile areas in a short period is putting immense pressure on the region’s natural resources. According to tourism department statistics, around 2.18 million domestic tourists visited various destinations within the state last year, with a quarter of them travelling to ecologically sensitive areas in Idukki and Wayanad.
Amid the devastating aftermath of the Wayanad landslides, Kerala is grappling with the deep-seated effects of the disaster. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the state’s mountain tourism sector, a major contributor to Kerala’s economy, accounting for more than 10% of its GDP.
Mountain and rural tourism are the major attractions of the state, attracting large numbers of tourists. However, the growing trend towards ‘mass tourism’ is beginning to undermine the ‘quality tourism’ that Kerala aims to promote, following the example of many developed countries. The influx of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of tourists into small, ecologically fragile areas in a short period of time is putting immense pressure on the natural resources of these areas. According to the tourism department, around 2.18 million domestic tourists visited various destinations within the state last year, with a quarter of them heading to the ecologically sensitive areas of Idukki and Wayanad.
For example, in 2023, Idukki received 36.33 million domestic tourists, while 17.50 million visited Wayanad, both major gateways to Kerala’s lush wilderness. The disaster has already had a major impact on the hospitality sector, with many tourist trips to the hill station and Wayanad now deemed unsafe. Adding to the concerns, the central government has issued a draft notification to designate 9,993.7 square kilometres of Kerala, including 13 villages in two landslide-hit areas of Wayanad, as ecologically sensitive areas.
