Ayurvedic tourism is a saving grace in the difficult days ahead for Kerala, India

The low demand from foreign tourists for destinations in the state this time has dam-pened the year-end mood in tourism circles. The only saving grace is the impressive bookings at Ayurveda centres.

Kerala Tourism Development Corporation has 72 properties in the state and except for Thekkady and Munnar that have 100 per cent bookings for December end, other properties are still waiting for custo-mers with bookings hardly covering 50 per cent of rooms.

“The recession in Europe has taken its toll. The trend was palpable when the Kerala Travel Mart was held in Kochi last September. Foreign agents had then shown little interest other than for Ayurveda,” said KTDC chairman Vijayan Thomas.