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The skies darken heralding rain. But what was once a bustling monsoon tourism season feels like a fading memory for Nithesh, the manager of Travelicious, a restaurant near Edakkal Caves in Wayanad. The place now gets only a handful of local patrons.
“Before the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide, our annual revenue was around ₹14 lakh. Now it is just ₹6.5 lakh. After the landslides, tourist footfalls have dropped by more than 50 per cent,” says Nithesh. The district administration now closes places like Edakkal Caves even when it drizzles. This has crippled monsoon tourism in the region, he says.
Soorajith Radhakrishnan, Secretary, Wayanad Tourism Organisation, describes how dependent the district is on tourism which contributes more than 25 per cent to the local economy. “After the landslide, the economy was down for six months and the district has incurred loss of more than ₹1,000 crore,” he says.
Joint Secretary of the Organisation, Pradeep Murthy, feels the way the media and people portrayed the landslide, has affected tourism in the region — may be bigger than the actual landslide. “The rain and the subsequent landslide was a natural disaster. All that happened after that was a man-made disaster. There was huge enthusiasm across India to drum it up – to make it sensational news. The landslide hit two villages in Wayanad, but media named it as Wayanad landslide, instead of Mundakkai- Chooralmala disaster. It was not just tourism of the region that got impacted, but everyone in the district was also affected,“ he says.
The organisation is now trying to find ways to bring back tourists to the region.
Wayanad is not alone. Business owners across tourist spots in climate-sensitive areas are facing challenges as extreme weather events impact their operations. Take the North-East, where currently 1,500 tourists are stranded due to heavy rains, landslides and flash floods in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
“The impact of climate change is becoming evident, particularly in ecologically-sensitive areas such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Kerala. Sudden floods, landslides, extreme heat, and unseasonal rainfall have started disrupting hotel operations. In some regions, these events cause structural damage and impact hospitality supply chains,” says M K Shyama Raju, President, FHRAI.
She added that destinations that were previously popular year-round, are now witnessing fluctuations in tourist arrivals due to climate uncertainties. And these are mounting by the day.
Conscious travellers
According to companies working in the tourism sector, travellers are becoming more conscious about climate change and sustainable tourism practices and this is reflected in the booking patterns. Vishal Suri, Managing Director & CEO, SOTC Travel Ltd, says, “We’ve observed that destinations impacted by extreme weather events, rising temperatures, environmental degradation due to climate change, often witness a drop in traveller interest and demand.” But, Suri is quick to add that demand and interest do rebound once safety, sustainable tourism practices and infrastructure confidence are restored.
“Climate change is no longer a future risk, it’s a present reality,” says Abraham Alapatt – President & Group Head – Marketing, Service Quality, Value Added Services & Innovation – Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. He describes how the company is taking strong steps to reduce its own environmental footprint and helping its business travel clients do the same. “We are also promoting eco-friendly accommodations, low environmental impact itineraries and carbon-conscious travel options.”
Hoteliers like Sandeep Singh, Founder of Ruby Stone Hospitality, point how they are discerning shifts in consumer travel. He says, “We’ve seen changes in booking patterns according to the weather. Guests are now planning their trips with much more attention to seasonal weather trends. Destinations that were once summer favourites are seeing fewer bookings during peak heat months, while cooler or more climate-stable locations are becoming increasingly popular.”
Echoing the thought is Pardeep Siwach, Deputy General Manager, Mayfair Spring Valley Resort, Guwahati, who says, “As many parts of the country face rising temperatures and unpredictable weather, travellers are now looking for destinations with pleasant and stable climates. The North-East, with its cooler weather and greenery, has become a preferred choice.”
Animesh Kumar, Commercial Head at ibis & ibis Styles India, said, “During peak summer months, when heatwaves become more intense, like those recently recorded across northern India — there’s often a shift in demand. Travellers are increasingly choosing destinations with milder climates or adjusting their travel schedules to avoid the hottest parts of the day or season.”
Kumar says that in cities experiencing record temperatures, the chain has seen more last-minute changes, shorter stays, and increased interest in properties with strong indoor amenities and easy access to cooler, climate-controlled environments.”
Global warming impact
Weather experts have dire warnings. KJ Ramesh, Former IMD Chairman, describes how global warming is wreaking havoc in India’s tourist hotspots. “In hill stations like Uttarakhand or Himachal, local warming has already touched 2.5 degree — higher than the global average — due to reasons such as deforestation and construction activities. The same is true for all of Western Ghats. With 2.5-degree warming, atmosphere of such areas can hold almost 20 per cent more moisture when it rains. This means that wherever you have local warming higher than the global average, you are bound to have high intensity, short duration precipitation. The frequency and intensity of this will go up incrementally as long as global warming continues.”
As Abhishek Jain, Director – Green Economy and Impact Innovations, CEEW, says, “We need to reimagine tourism — from an escape from daily routine, that is often resource intensive, to something that brings us closer to nature and our own selves, without being taxing on our planet.”
He says, “There is potential to create more opportunities for nature-positive tourism. Take Odisha, for example. A CEEW study estimates that sustainable tourism in the State can be worth $580 million by 2030, creating local jobs, driving economic prosperity, while protecting fragile ecosystems. As part of India’s broader transition to a green economy, responsibly scaling such models can chart India’s unique development pathway, meeting our ambitions on jobs, prosperity and sustainability.”
Manali, a different story
Meanwhile, Manali, another tourist attraction, seems to be benefiting from climate change. According to business owners in the region, extended winter caused by climate change is bringing more tourists to the place. Speaking to businessline, Hira Lal Rana, President, Himachal Pradesh Travel Agents Association (HPTAA), said, “The change in weather patterns has not affected tourist footfalls in Kullu-Manali. In fact, the increased connectivity is bringing more tourists to the place. Climate changes are happening here. Usually, winter season were from December to February or march. However, it has now extended to April and May, attracting more tourists.”
But this doesn’t mean Manali is entirely saved from the clutches of climate change. Events like the 2023 floods in the region affected many businesses and it took them another four-five months to recover, he adds.
Echoing a similar opinion, Gaurav Takur, Treasurer, Manali Hoteliers Association, said, “Manali is seeing severe changes in its weather pattens. The seasons are changing. Now, we experience heavy rains during winter and what should be summer season, is now winter. In my understanding this is not just happening in Manali, but across the globe due to climate change. However, it hasn’t affected tourist inflow to the area. In fact, we see an increase in tourists, even though a slight dip happened after the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The weather pattern changes mainly affected the agriculture sector in the area.”
However, if this trend continues, it might affect the tourism in the area. So, the government must take necessary steps, along with promoting safe tourism in the region, he adds.
Published on June 9, 2025
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