The tourism industry in Kerala, which is already reeling under global recession, has been badly hit by the recent terror attacks in Mumbai. The recent attacks have led to cancellation of bookings made for an innovative travel package, which was marketing Kerala’s traditional ceremonial wedding.
According to P K Anish Kumar, managing director of Travel Planners, which had launched the package, they have already got at least four cancellations from UK tourists. Some tourists have not confirmed their plans after enquiries. “No new enquiries are coming,” he said. Earlier, they were receiving about 20-25 enquiries a day.
The bookings are being carried out for the January-February season, Which is the peak tourist season. “The coming year is going to be a disaster,” he said. During 2007-08, Travel Planners had 2,500 bookings. However, he said, “If the hotels slash prices, some tourists could get attracted.”
The latest set back has come at a time when the company was trying to woo tourists with the ‘Wedding Package’, which promises a typical traditional Kerala wedding in a temple or at a place of the guest’s choice.
The package includes dressed girls with lamps in their hands to receive guests, ritual arrangements necessary for a marriage, traditional bedroom arrangements, lunch and a dinner party for guests. The food is served on banana leaves. The charges vary from Rs 25,000-Rs 200,000, depending on the total number of guests and venue, he said.
Travel Planner, which began operations in 1999 from Thiruvananthapuram, is now a specialised tour operator for South India, specialising in Kerala specific holidays.
