Kerala’s tourism industry had witnessed a turn of events when the 2018 floods came rushing in. Along with many other industries that went into losses, the tourism industry in Kerala, which is one of its main sources of revenue generation, faced a major setback. Kerala Tourism’s ‘Humans by Nature’ campaign was, therefore, one of the best ways to attract tourists, despite the industry wreaking in havoc. You won’t believe, Kerala saw the highest number of tourists visiting the state after the floods. But in 2020, the nationwide lockdown owing to the pandemic further disrupted the industry, leading to a loss of INR 25,000 crore. It’s been over 7 months now, and the Government realised that the only way to revive the industry was to promote domestic tourism.
Therefore, starting today, the economy of Kerala is opening its tourism doors to domestic tourists. So, if you plan on travelling within the State, here’s what you need to know. The State aims to open tourism in a phased manner to avoid a further surge of coronavirus cases.
- Hill stations, adventure trips, backwater and Ayurveda tourist destinations will be opened for domestic tourists. However, beach destinations will remain closed until the 1st of November as regulation and tracking of visitors is almost impossible.
- People visiting Kerala from other states need not undergo quarantine if they plan to stay for less then seven days. Having said that, those showing any symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection should not travel to the state.
- Domestic tourists need not undergo quarantine if their trip lasts less then seven days.
- If tourists plan on vacationing for more than seven days, they will have to carry a COVID-19 negative certificate or get themselves checked at their own risk and expense.
- Domestic tourists will have to register on covid19jagratha.kerala.nic.in and will have to follow all the safety protocols such as wearing masks, maintain social distancing (2 meters apart), and making use of sanitizers frequently.
- Body temperatures of tourists will be checked across all destinations.
- The Government has urged tourists to make online bookings and reservations to maintain safety.
As always, please remember to follow COVID protocol and make sure that even while we enjoy ourselves, we remain responsible citizens.
