Geopolitical tensions, erratic weather cloud Keralam’s foreign tourism outlook

Geopolitical tensions and unpredictable weather are casting a shadow over Kerala's foreign tourism prospects. The Hindu reports that the state is bracing for another tourism season amidst mounting geopolitical tensions and erratic weather patterns stemming from El Niño. Sajeev Kurup, general secretary of the Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industries, expressed concern over the prevailing geopolitical situation in West Asia and the evolving climatic conditions driven by El Niño, both of which are not favorable for Kerala.

The state's vulnerability to climate-induced natural disasters, coupled with limited direct international flight connectivity, further exacerbates the challenge. Wellness tourism dominates the foreign tourism sector, with around 70% of foreign tourists belonging to this segment, mainly from the Gulf, post-Soviet states, and some European countries.

These tourists often travel directly to Kerala via transit hubs in the Gulf. Leisure tourists, on the other hand, primarily arrive in other north Indian cities as part of south India tour packages. The uncertainty in the Gulf region due to the US-Iran war is prompting foreign tourists to consider safer destinations, such as Colombo and other Far East locations.

The first two considerations for foreign tourists are generally cost and safety, followed by climatic conditions. A failure of the northeast monsoon, which usually brings around 500 mm of rain to Kerala between October and December, could lead to higher temperatures and negatively impact tourist plans. Despite these challenges, the newly elected government has yet to provide significant support to the tourism industry.

E.M. Najeeb, president of the Confederation, urged the government to take measures to safeguard the hospitality sector, as domestic tourism has returned to normalcy and registered robust growth beyond pre-pandemic levels, while foreign tourist arrivals have yet to recover to pre-COVID levels.