In a bid to revive the tourism industry, the Kerala government has now opened all the tourist destinations in the state, except beaches, for visitors from 12 October after remaining closed for over six months owing to restrictions to contain the coronavirus infection.
According to the state’s tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran, hill stations, adventure and black water tourism spots will welcome travellers from now on. However, beaches will only open from 1 November. This comes amid Kerala witnessing a steep rise in Covid-19 cases in the last couple of day. Kerala’s Covid-19 caseload mounted to 2,87,202 with 9,347 fresh infections today as the toll crossed the 1,000-mark with 25 fatalities, health minister KK Shailaja said.
In the last 24 hours, as many as 61,629 samples were tested and specimens of 8,924 people returned negative, taking the total recoveries so far to 1,91,798 while 96,316 people are presently undergoing treatment, the minister said.
There are guidelines which tourists in Kerala have to follow such as, the travellers will have to follow all the Covid-19 protocol strictly while visiting the tourist spots. Tourists who are entering Kerala for short trips spanning less than seven days do not need a coronavirus negative certificate but if the tourists are not returning after seven days, they must undergo coronavirus tests spending money from their own pockets, also they must produce Covid-19 negative certificate or undergo tests immediately after entering the state. Otherwise, they will have to remain in quarantine for seven days.
Use of masks and sanitiser and maintaining the social distance of two metres is mandatory. If the tourists develop virus symptoms during their travel, they must contact DISHA helpline and seek the assistance of health workers. All tourists visiting Kerala must register on www.covid19jagratha.kerala.nic.in
