KOTTAYAM: Thiruvananthapuram district suffered the worst setback in foreign tourist arrivals this year followed by Idukki. In August the capital district recorded a -21.98 per cent growth. Compared to 26,452 arrivals in 2017, it was 20,708 the same month this year.
The situation further worsened in September: -35.5 per cent. It received 15,659 foreign visitors compared to 24,278 last September, according to the statistics of the tourism department.
"A few factors are contributing to the downfall, including those from the Middle East. However, there is no reduction in the number from European countries," Baby Mathew Somatheeram, the MD of the Somatheeram group, told Deccan Chronicle.
"The flood is one reason. Sri Lanka is performing well due to direct air connectivity to that destination from other countries. It's more tourism friendly."
The dip started before the floods. It was -9.06 per cent growth in February when 46,386 foreign tourists arrived in the district. According to sources, the lower numbers from the Middle East had hit entire south Kerala.
In March, April, May, June and July, also Thiruvananthapuram recorded -11.5, -5.14, -27.21, -37.92, and -30.38 per cent growth. Idukki recorded a -30.6 per cent variation in July compared to 2017. August recorded a -58.2 per cent variation in foreign tourist footfalls - from 7,527 to 3,146.
In September it went down drastically by 44.45 per cent, from 4,153 to 2,307. According to tourism department sources, continuous rainfall from July contributed to this fall. The situation worsened when massive floods devastated the state in August, leaving a trail of death and destruction.
