Setback to the hospitality industry.

Third wave dashes hopes of resort and hotel businesses' recovery in Kerala. According to resort owners, after the first and second waves, there were some positive signs of a recovery from the adverse impact of the two lockdowns. However, the footfall in tourist destinations was less during this New Year because of the restrictions imposed by the state government.

The occupancy at major hotels and resorts slowly climbed to 65% by Nov 2021. Many of these resorts and big hotels came up with attractive packages and discounts for those who had booked rooms. As a result, the occupancy rose to 80% in some of these properties.

In most of the hotels now, the average occupancy has come down drastically. With the industry showing some signs of recovery last year, most of the hotels and resorts were working with full staff strength. As a result, they are finding it difficult to maintain the operational cost.

"We have offered attractive packages like 'Work from resorts' so as to recover from the setback due to Covid. However, with travel restrictions and the flow of foreign tourists declining, the business has been witnessing a steep fall", says the partner of Cliff Stories Resort, Varkala.

The bar-restaurants too are going through tough times. They have to pay an annual licence fee of Rs.30 lakhs every year.

"Last year, the state government helped us by a proportionate waiver of the bar licence fee. This year, too, we have requested for the same. We have also requested the chief minister to consider waiving off the fixed charges on electricity bills of the hotels" says the secretary of the Kerala Travel Mart.

- Adapted from a news article in the NIE.

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Saw this :

                                           Delhi shivers at 5 degrees Celsius

                                      Bombay shivers at 13 degrees Celsius

                                      Srinagar shivers at -1 degree Celsius

                                    Indian Army doesn't shiver at -40 degree Celsius

Tailpiece.

Got up around a 20' past 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. Lekha, along with the maid, went to the ration stand, then to the Akshaya Kendra to have my name added to the Ration Card and to have the handles/ears of the pans and cans renewed.

Spoke to three of my naval course mates who were celebrating their wedding anniversaries - Jags Varma-Sangeeta and Luv Virmani-Anu in Pune and Makhan-Meena in Jaipur. It was nice to catch up with them.