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

Keralam is bracing for another foreign tourist season against the backdrop of mounting geopolitical tensions and increasingly erratic weather patterns linked to El Niño. Yet, the State’s tourism industry is looking ahead with cautious optimism, hoping for a strong and steady season after lacklustre seasons in recent years.

The emerging trend of ‘alert travel’ — with tourists displaying heightened awareness of and responsiveness to real-time updates on costs, safety, and climatic conditions — is adding to the challenges for States such as Keralam.

Speaking to The Hindu, Sajeev Kurup, general secretary of the Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industries (CKTI) and chairman of the Ayurveda Task Force of FICCI’s National Tourism Committee, said the prevailing geopolitical situation in West Asia, coupled with evolving climatic conditions driven by El Niño, was not favourable to Keralam. The State is highly vulnerable to climate-induced natural calamities and has limited direct international flight connectivity, largely restricted to Gulf destinations.

Wellness tourism

Around 70% of foreign tourists visiting Keralam are estimated to belong to the wellness and Ayurveda segment, while leisure tourists account for barely 25-30%. Wellness tourists, mainly from the Gulf, post-Soviet states and some European countries, tend to travel directly to Keralam through Gulf transit hubs such as Dubai and Doha.