Kerala will entertain domestic tourists starting from September 2020

Kerala will start welcoming domestic travellers from September, which also coincides with Onam celebrations. However, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran has also said that all tourists will have to go by the COVID-19 safety norms issued by the state.

According to the latest reports, the Kerala state government has also announced a `455-crore loan scheme to revive the tourism sector from the revenue losses it has suffered during the pandemic.
After Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Kerala will also join the ranks of the states that have reopened their borders to tourists from other parts of India. Reportedly, every tourist will have to present COVID-19 negative certificate, booking receipt of accommodation and should stay in the state for a minimum of 3-5 days.
Kerala depends highly on tourism; it had opened tourist places for some time immediately after the lockdown earlier. However, lack of tourist arrivals and rising cases of Coronavirus forced the Kerala government to reconsider its decision.
A news website has reported IMA-Cochin President, Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, as saying that the tourism sector can be allowed to rerun but under stern restrictions so as to avoid public conventions or campfires.

The tourist season in Kerala ideally starts from September and goes on till March. Reportedly, a government official has revealed that reopening of the tourism sector will be done in a phased manner. First priority will be given to the domestic tourists. Hotels won’t be allowed to reopen their entire property to the tourists, but only a part of it, in order to avoid the spread of the virus.