Kalpetta: Activities in the tourism sector in Wayanad, which had suffered big losses during two consecutive floods, have come to a complete standstill after the COVID-19 pandemic struck. According to the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), the sector has lost at least Rs 547 crore during the last three months.
The crisis started before the November-February season came to an end. The tourist attractions and facilities began closing down in stages. Visitors were barred at ecotourism centres like Kuruva Island, Chembera peak and Meenmutty from March based on a court order which said that ecotourism centres under the Tourism Department should not engage in non-forest activities.
Forest Protection Committee staff, guides, taxi drivers, construction workers, homestay owners, hotels and traders dependent on tourism faced a crisis even before the lockdown. In fact, tourist arrivals had fallen by 50 per cent in February following COVID-19 restrictions and by 90 per cent in March. Incidentally, there used to be a big flow of tourists to Wayanad from April to August and their numbers had witnessed a steady increase over the past four years. While the summer vacations brought many visitors to the district, monsoon tourism was the main attraction after the onset of the rains.
N P Jayan, who operates ‘Prakrithi’, a homestay at Noolpuzha in Nenmenikkunnu says “There were no guests at our homestay from January. Last year, bookings were made till June. Visitors began staying away from the tourist spots as soon as COVID-19 was reported in China.”
The authorities had been launching several minor tourism projects in Wayanad to help people overcome the losses incurred to their farms during floods when COVID-19 struck. DTPC had received Rs 2.9 crore from the government for the purpose and another Rs 5 crore in the budget.
For instance, new facilities were arranged at Karapuzha dam and Karlad chira. But, the centres are closed now.
Numerous resorts have downed shutters in the district as tourists have failed to turn up. Some of them have been taken over by the authorities and converted into COVID-19 care centres. As per data with the Tourism Department, 74 of the 500 homestays in Wayanad were closed even before the lockdown.
There are 130 tourist buses, around 300 travellers and numerous taxis in Wayanad. Their owners, drivers and other staff are also in trouble. Owners of buses have to pay large amounts as taxes, fees and insurance premium. Some also have to repay loans availed to buy the vehicles.
Contract carriage owners association state joint secretary K B Rajakrishna said that taxes and fees as well as insurance premium should be waived from January to June to help the sector overcome the losses.
