THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state tourism, which had suffered due to the reduced foreign tourist inflow soon after the 2012 Delhi gang rape case, is watching the news reports on the Perumbavur case in international media with baited breath. Similarly, techies from other states who work in Kerala also feel that it is moving on the same track like some of its North Indian counterparts.
With many lone female travellers now frequenting the state for long-term ayurveda treatment, the players in the industry are apprehensive of the impact of such atrocities on tourists from traditional European counties.
“The reports that appear in German, English and French media about the plight of India women and the atrocities backfire on our tourism industry. It is not just the Perumbavur case; the reports on rape cases anywhere in India affect Goa, Kerala and Rajasthan badly. This may not affect the domestic tourists as they know the ground realities on women’s safety in the state, but things are not the same with foreign tourists,” said M. Shailendra, vice-president, sales, of CGH Earth.
Incidentally, not much news that malign the image of the country appears in Russian media. For the last three years, the number of Russian tourists has increased compared to that from other countries. As per techies, though a fear psychosis has not picked up after the Perumbavur case, the image of Kerala being a safe place does not exist.
“A protest march in connection with the Perumbavur case was organised at Technopark on Friday. Though we expected around 50-60 people, around 600 employees, mostly women, attended. This shows the level of concern of the IT professionals on the atrocities that women face here. Most of our North Indian IT population feels that Kerala is becoming unsafe,” said Rajeev Krishan, a techie.
