A houseboat cruises through the tranquil backwaters of Kottayam as the tourism sector gears up for a festive-season revival during the Onam season.
| Photo Credit: VISHNU PRATHAP
After being battered by a sluggish monsoon and subsequent floods, Kottayam’s backwater tourism sector is finally showing signs of revival, with hotels and houseboats witnessing a steady rise in bookings during the Onam season.According to stakeholders, tourism-dependent destinations from Kumarakom to Vaikom are gradually getting back on their feet. Hotel and resort bookings have begun picking up, while houseboats and local transport services are once again seeing brisk activity.The turnaround comes after a particularly challenging season. Kumarakom, one of the State’s popular monsoon destinations, got off to a subdued start this year amid a weak monsoon and the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. The floods that hit the region in the first week of August added to the uncertainty, forcing some visitors to cancel their plans as access to the backwater villages became difficult.Hospitality sectorThe hospitality sector, however, appears to be weathering the setbacks. Manoj Kumar K.V., general secretary of the Chamber of Vembanad Hotels and Resorts, said resort occupancy during the initial days of the festive season had remained between 75% and 90%.“The clientele base has been predominantly domestic while the movement of Arab tourists too has shown a marked improvement with easing of the war situation in the Middle East,” he said.Boat race seasonAccording to officals with the Tourism department, the revival is also being fuelled by the boat race season, which has helped draw visitors back to the backwaters after the disruption caused by the floods. While enquiries have increased, the industry expects the real gains to emerge in the weeks ahead as more of these enquiries translate into confirmed bookings.“It may take some more time to get these enquiries converted into bookings, but at this rate the sector hopes to recover its business by next month,” said an official. “We are heading straight into the tourism season after the Onam vacations and the signs so far are encouraging,” he added.Destination weddingsBeyond conventional leisure tourism, resorts are also tapping newer and more lucrative segments. Enquiries for destination weddings and corporate stays have increased, with hotels offering staycation packages and customised programmes under the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) segment. Cultural performances, local cuisine, traditional handicrafts and village-life experiences are being woven into event packages, allowing visitors to engage with the local culture while creating additional income streams for local communities.Several resorts are also offering honeymoon packages aimed at couples seeking a romantic getaway.Houseboat sectorThe houseboat sector, too, is reporting a surge in business. Operators in Kumarakom say houseboats have begun filling up after a prolonged lull, although the composition of the clientele has changed significantly.“After a long gap, the houseboats in Kumarakom have finally begun operating to capacity although it is the domestic guests that are arriving enmasse as against the previous years when a significant portion of the guest base comprised foreigners,” said a houseboat operator in Kumarakom.Despite the gains, the sector remains vulnerable to another bout of heavy rain. The recent floods left a visible dent in bookings, with tourists cancelling trips after roads and access routes to destinations such as Kumarakom and Aymanam became difficult.“There have been cancellations as accessing places like Kumarakom and Aymanam had become difficult during the floods. The situation, however, was still under control. But if yet another bout of floods hit the region, this will lead to huge losses for us,” said the operations head of a premium hotel.With Onam offering the sector a crucial window to recover, hotels and resorts are pulling out their festive playbook. Packages featuring traditional art forms, cultural performances and elaborate Onam feasts served in the traditional style are being rolled out to attract visitors. Published - August 26, 2026 07:00 am IST
