Homestays in Kerala's Fort Kochi, Mattancherry struggle to draw tourists amid Covid-19

The GDP of Kerala has take a hit due to floods and the pandemic, as the state heavily depends on tourism. The state is known for its Dutch, Portuguese, and British colonial architectures, besides its spice markets, and iconic Chinese fishing nets, the picturesque Fort Kochi, the Mattancherry areas in Ernakulam district, and more.
The Fort Kochi area is still waiting for tourism to begin again, and the Chinese nets that make for a picturesque postcard of Kochi are facing the threat of extinction in the name of renovation. There are moves to remove it without even considering the Archaeological Survey of India in the name of tourism.

Homestays are the main revenue for the unorganized tourism sector in Kerala. In a new policy issued by the ruling Left government, homestays have changed their purpose from commercial to domestic.
Joseph Dominic, the General Secretary of Homestay Owners' Welfare Association, Kerala. Says that most of the homestays, hotels, and restaurants had shut down due to the Covid-imposed lockdown. The rise of COVID cases and restrictions like mandatory quarantine for tourists are not helping the industry. He suggests that the state government should consider vaccinating those in the tourism sector.


“If we are vaccinated, tourists will be confident to travel, come to our house and town," said the General Secretary.

"Right now there are no international tourists here but if we are talking about domestic tourists need the confidence to come back to the town, if we are vaccinated, tourists will get that confidence to travel," said the General Secretary.

According to the ministry of health and family welfare, Kerala reported as many as 539 fresh COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths on Tuesday, the death toll has gone up to 4,507. Currently, the number of active cases stands at 24,389.