With the southwestern monsoon on the doorstep, Kerala Tourism is gearing up for a vibrant season. Gone are the days when hotels and tour operators took it easy when rains lashed the length and breadth of Kerala. Monsoon is no longer the lean season for tourism in the state.
The number of foreign tourists to India increased by 27 percent in the previous monsoon season. The roaring rivers and leaping waterfalls have turned the latest tourist attractions in Kerala. The coming monsoon is expected to be better.
Another reason for the spurt in tourist arrivals in the monsoon months is the cost-effectiveness of the off-season. Hotels and other establishments offer discounted rates to travellers during the rainy season, trying to wean some of the customers away from the l;ow cost homestays.
Most of the honeymooners who want to romance the rains prefer homestays to hotels. They seek out rustic homes where they can relax to the soothing rhythm of rain. They say that the experience is unmatched.
Rain is the in-thing in tourism. Homestays offer a range of thematic activities including a walk in the rain and fishing in the rain. They are featured even on the web page of the official tourism department.
There are 45 homestays registered in Kochi alone, said Kerala Homestay and Tourism Society director M P Sivadathan. The number touches 300 when unregistered establishments are added.
Sivadathan said that Kerala had the potential to offer more than 4,000 homestays if only the tourism department and local self-government bodies took the initiative.
Most of the travellers book homestays for two days and one night. They often extend their stay thanks to the cordial hospitality and lower rates. They can feast on the food cooked by their hosts. Sometimes, even guests are allowed to cook.
Travellers who want to have a real taste of Kerala opt for homestays. There are homestays that receive the same guests over and again.
Monsoon is also the best time to pamper your body with a little ayurvedic massage. Many people travel to Kerala during the rainy season to undergo ayurvedic treatments.
Verdant and fresh in the rain, Kerala is a dream destination during the monsoon months.
