Once a bustling tourist hub, Wayanad, for the past three months, has been witnessing a lull. The alarming drop in number of visitors has hit everyone from zipline operators to small vendors selling fried chips—the economic fallout of devastating landslides that hit parts of the hill district earlier this year.
Multiple landslides hit Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Meppadi panchayat, which are away from the main tourist areas, on July 30 this year. Some eco-tourism destinations in the district were initially declared out of bounds for tourists but tourists are even avoiding areas which were unaffected.
“The area impacted in the landslide is less than 100 sq km out of the total area of 2130 sq km. Despite the localised nature of the calamity, it caused widespread cancellations, affecting tourism throughout Wayanad. Tourism plays a significant role in Wayanad’s economy and the livelihoods of many who depend on it have been deeply affected,” says Shylesh, Secretary, Wayanad Tourism Organisation (WTO). According to him, 30% of Wayanad’s economy was severely affected with the district witnessing an 80% decline in revenue.
“With guest travel halted for the past two months, supporting services like transportation, local markets and small businesses faced significant financial strains. Drivers, guides, and local vendors who depend on tourism have been affected,” says Anu Shinoj, Manager, Great Trails Wayanad, GRT Hotels, a boutique resort in Wayanad.
During the Onam and Pooja holidays, there was a slight improvement in bookings but it dropped again. “Now we are hopeful that it will improve during the Diwali season,” says Anu.
Besides resorts and homestays, restaurants and small eateries, promoters of adventure tourism were also hit. “Our zipline at Pozhuthana had 173 guests on August 29 in 2023. On August 29 in 2024 only three guests tried the zipline,” says Pradeep Murthy, Director, Muddy Boots, an organisation promoting adventure sports.
The drastic fall in occupancy of hotels had a cascading effect on every business activity. “The devastating effect has trickled down to even a small banana chips shop in Kalpetta. Last year, on an average, around 150 groups of guests used to patronise a banana chip shop in Kalpetta, the district headquarters of Wayanad. Hundreds of kilos of chips used to be fried a day. Today it is about two or three guests and only 10 kilos are fried daily,” says Murthy
The demand for tourist transport has also plummeted in this landlocked district, a preferred destination of techies and tourists from Bangalore. “Prospective customers are wary of bookings three months in advance. Currently only instant bookings are done. Diwali demand is comparatively less this year. As the demand for groups and Free Independent Traveller (FIT) has drastically reduced, hoteliers have started accepting booking for MICE and Corporates during the peak season,” says Ravi Menon, Managing Director, Arjun Tours & Travels, Bengaluru. Menon who has been promoting Wayand for the past two decades is hopeful that it will come back to normal by the end of this year.
To tide over the crisis, the focus will initially be on survival and then on revival. “Wayanad Tourism Organisation (WTO) has petitioned the state government to waive off local taxes for a period of three to six months. Deferring GST and subsidising KSEB bills will also help the beleaguered hospitality industry. An effective and sustainable solution is needed for the problems plaguing the members of the industry,” says Vancheeswaran, president of Vancheeswaran, WTO.
To dispel the fears of the tourists, WTO orchestrated a campaign on social media with the hashtag ’Visit Wayanad’ telling the district is safe. “We mourn the loss of many and appreciate the support that you offered. It’s important to clarify that Wayanad is a district, not a town,” the campaign reaffirmed.
Biju K, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, says the ‘Revisit Wayanad’ campaign was launched to restore tourist confidence post-landslides. “The social media campaign, ‘Ente Keralam Ennum Sundaram’ (My Kerala Ever Beautiful) also supported the initiative, boosting Wayanad’s visibility by highlighting its scenic beauty,” says Biju. The campaign sought to boost the local economy and reassure visitors that Wayanad remains a picturesque and safe choice.
“As part of revival efforts, the neighbouring states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana are being specially targeted in our promotions. We had a celebrity from Bengaluru promoting Wayanad as a safe destination. We have planned a talk show in Puthiyathalamurai, a leading TV channel in TN,” adds Vancheeswaran. India Tourism has also come forward to conduct road shows in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai, the prime markets for Wayanad. But there is a growing concern that unplanned growth of tourism would affect Wayanad.
Wayanad could successfully overcome the Nipah virus, subsequent floods in 2018 and 2019, and the Covid-19 and the travel fraternity in Wayanad is hopeful that the festive season would offset the colossal losses incurred in the aftermath of the landslides.
Susheela Nair is an independent food, travel and lifestyle writer and photographer. She has also authored guide books, brochures and coffee table books.