KOCHI: Christmas is almost here but the city is having a low key celebration due to the acute cash crunch on account of the demonetization. Although shops and houses in the city are decked up, the overall trading activity is dull compared to previous years. There are cakes, wines, candles, trees, cribs, lights, and stars and bakers have even introduced unique cake delicacies for the season, but the usual shopping frenzy is absent. Big shopping malls and small traders have introduced special discounts and programmes to attract customers. Meanwhile, despite the currency crunch, bakeries and confectionary shops expect brisk business during festival days.
“Though there is a drastic fall in the number of customers, we have stocked enough cakes, cookies and pastries expecting the sales to pick up in the next couple of days,” said Viswambharan M, a bakery owner. Every year, Xmas sales begin by the end of November, but this year, the business is yet to gain momentum. The ongoing third edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale has added more colour to the celebration in the city. A Carnival spirit prevails in Fort Kochi, visited by tourists, with the streets wearing a festive look with stars, lights and decorations in balconies and the rooftops of houses.
It is the biennale which has helped tourism entrepreneurs to withstand the currency crisis. “Most of the bookings for the festival season were cancelled immediately after the demonetisation. However, after the biennale started, there has been an increase in the number of both international and domestic tourists,” said M.P Sivadathan, director of Kerala State Homestay and Tourism Association (Kerala HATS).
