Tourism industry badly hit in Kodagu due to natural calamity

Madikeri, Sep 30: Picturesque Kodagu nestled in the Western Ghats, known as the favorite tourist destinations in the South India besides being the top coffee producer in the country, has been severely affected in the tourism sector due to natural calamity last month.

The coffee land always been a best tourist destination, but after the rain havoc and landslides resulting bad hit for the tourism besides its economy as whole. Still people yet to recover from the shock, of course required many days.

Kodagu also known for home stays which has been great demand particularly during the weekends, however, the situation is different now with very few callers for home stay.

People, who were operating home stays and others who depended upon tourism for their livelihood after investing lakhs of rupees, have been badly affected without any business in recent days. A majority of hotel and home stay owners, who had employed hundreds of workers, have sent them back to their native.

Going by official figures, as many as 18 lakh footfalls had been registered at the tourist spots of the district in the first half of this year. However, tourism took a severe beating since August when the district administration had banned visitors for safety purpose.

Even though the ban on tourists was lifted on September 10, the devastating floods and landslides have discouraged visitors from thronging the tourist spots. Only a few, majority of them youths, are visiting Dubare Elephant Camp, Cauvery Nisargadhama, Raja Seat, Abbey Falls, Irupu Falls,  Mallalli Falls, Harangi Reservoir and other tourist destinations.