Wayanad's Onam tourism fortunes dampened by closure of major road

WITH Onam round the corner, a pall of gloom has descended over Wayanad's tourism industry.

- LESLY JOSEPH @Kalpetta

The recurring mudslides on the vital Thamarassery Ghat road, the primary gateway to the district, has choked off the main pathway for tourist inflow, sparking fears of a washed-out peak season. The Onam vacation, which begins next week, is traditionally a bustling period for hotels, resorts, homestays, and tour operators in Wayanad, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists.

Even the flow of tourists from the neighbouring states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu during the Ganesh Chathurthy holidays has declined.