Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Tuesday said the Coronavirus outbreak had begun affecting the tourism sector in Kerala as hotel bookings have suffered mass cancellations. The statement comes after Kerala government declared the novel coronavirus as a ‘state calamity’.
After the Nipah virus and deadly floods, the coronavirus outbreak has also adversely impacted the tourism industry as hotel bookings during the February-March months are cancelled widely across the state, he said while state Assembly during the question hour. Coronavirus Scare: China Says US ‘Spreading Only Fear & Not Offering Assistance’ After Virus Outbreak.
Three students, including a woman medico, from the state who studied in Wuhan university in China, had tested positive for the virus in Thrissur, Alappuzha and Kasaragod districts in the previous couple of days, following which the LDF government declared the epidemic as a ‘state calamity’ on Monday night.
The negative propaganda during the time of Nipah had cost the tourism industry dearly, the minister noted.
“The same thing is occurring now as reports of Coronavirus outbreak came up. This time, the impact is more severe… As soon because the reports came, all the hotel bookings for February-March months, which were all filled, are cancelled,” Sureandran said.
Urging media to exercise self-restraint during the time of calamities and keep themselves faraway from fear-mongering, the minister said berating issues beyond proportion was largely affecting the tourism industry.
“There is not any doubt that we should always be vigilant. But, there’s no need to create scare among the general public ,” he added. a total of 8.19 lakh tourists had visited the southern state, popularly referred to as the “God’s Own Country”, in 9 months in 2019, which was 10.96 lakh in 2018, the minister added. Coronavirus Outbreak: India Updates Travel Advisory for China; Any Indian Who Visits China ‘Could be Quarantined’ on Return.
India reported a 3rd novel coronavirus case on Monday with another Keralite student from Wuhan University in China testing positive for the infection. Hours after the confirmation of the third coronavirus case from the state, where over 2,000 people are under watch at houses and hospitals, Health Minister KK Shailaja said that the govt had decided to declare the epidemic as a “state calamity”.
The move was to require all necessary steps to make sure that the outbreak is effectively controlled, she said.
(Source: Economic Times)
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