Social media puts Kerala’s offbeat tourism spots on the safety radar after Nilambur flash flood tragedy

Malappuram: The death of six people in the flash flood at the Kottapuzha River near Nilambur has brought into focus the growing safety challenges posed by tourist spots that gain popularity through social media but remain outside the formal tourism system.

The spot at T K Nagar near Nilambur was not a declared tourist destination and had no official system to regulate visitors or provide safety measures. After visiting the Kottappuzha region, Chief Minister V D Satheesan had said the government would explore ways to regulate the movement of people to such locations.

Yet, with social media constantly bringing new waterfalls, rivers, hills and other natural spots into the tourism spotlight, a larger question remains: can authorities realistically identify, assess and regulate every new destination that suddenly gains popularity online?

The challenge is particularly significant as Kerala seeks to promote lesser-known destinations and expand tourism beyond established tourist centres. The sudden popularity of such places can draw large crowds even before basic infrastructure, safety measures and emergency-response systems are put in place.

The issue has therefore raised questions over how Kerala can promote unexplored destinations without allowing visitor numbers to outpace the systems needed to ensure their safety.

Former deputy director of the Tourism Department, Prashanth Vasudev, said the government should consider forming local volunteer groups such as Vana Samrakshana Samithis (VSS) instead of imposing restrictions or bans on visits to unexplored locations that attract people through social media.

“Such spots that are becoming popular are not even part of domestic tourism. They are 'local domestic tourism spots'. We should not regulate visitors there. Instead, we should form local-level management bodies such as VSS with the support of local communities and local bodies. They can manage the safety and security of these spots with local support,” he said.

Vasudev said the state government should earmark a fixed amount for safety and security at tourism destinations, including unexplored locations managed by local bodies. Local bodies often struggle to manage such spots because of a lack of funds, he said.

He also said it would not be practical for District Tourism Promotion Councils (DTPCs) to directly manage the large number of micro-level destinations emerging across the state.

Meanwhile, Malappuram DTPC secretary Vipin said the Tourism Department could provide guidance and technical support to local bodies managing micro-level tourism spots that witness a sudden surge in visitors following social media campaigns.

“Kerala has several micro-level destinations, including waterfalls located in forest areas. The Forest and Wildlife Department already has experience in managing major tourism destinations on its land and can therefore handle such micro-level destinations as well. But local bodies such as grama panchayats and municipalities may not have the experience to manage large numbers of visitors and ensure their safety,” he said.

Vipin said it would not be practical for tourism departments or DTPCs to directly manage every minor tourism spot. Instead, they could provide local bodies with proper guidance and suggestions on visitor management and safety measures.

As the state government has already decided to form a comprehensive disaster management plan in the backdrop of recent flash flood and landslide tragedies, the projects to ensure the safety of micro-level destinations can also be a part of the proposed plan.