No takers for homestays in Kochi

KOCHI: This year is disappointing for hotels and homestays in Mattanchery and Fort Kochi area as the flow of tourists has fallen drastically.With global recession spreading its wings in the European countries, the hoteliers and homestay owners in Kochi are also feeling the heat now.  The tourist season in Kerala kicks off by September-end and early October.Usually, by this time almost all the tourist homes and homestays earn good money owing to heavy rush of tourists. However, this year even normal profit seems to be far to gain.A member of the Fort Kochi Homestay Association said the cost of electricity, water and other taxes were adding to the woes of homestay operators. The bigger ones would be able to take on the crisis. But it is a sad story for those who are in the business with two or three rooms and now with low business it is hard for them to survive. There are about 150 members in the association and all of them have similar problems.The concept of homestays was very popular amongst the tourists coming to Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and other areas but the global recession has crippled the inflow of tourists and the revenue generated from it, he added.  Michael, an owner of a homestay in Mattanchery area, said that hardly any tourists have come here since last one year. “This year it is a hard time for all of us as very few tourists have come to the homestays. We had only eight tourists in the last month, usually during the tourist season we get more than 20 tourists a month. We hope that the situation will change in the coming days,” Michael said. The DTPC officials confirmed that the recession has affected the flow of tourists this year.  “The recession in the western countries has affected the tourism sector in Kerala. Even the government hotels and approved homestays are having a dry season this year. The number of homestays has almost doubled in the last couple of years. But the business is low at every homestay and hotels. Only the health tourism sector is having a better outing,” a DTPC official said.