LPG shortage hurting Kerala tourism sector, says state body

Kochi, Mar 13 (PTI) The Kerala Travel Mart Society (KTM), a body representing the tourism and related sectors in the state, said here on Friday that the shortage of commercial cooking gas cylinders is pushing the state’s tourism and hotel sector into a major crisis.

KTM President Jose Pradeep said the crisis in this sector, one of the largest contributors to the state’s revenue, will also have a direct impact on everyday life.

Pradeep said that, in response to the Prime Minister’s call and in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to limit carbon emissions across industries, KTM was the first in the state to take action.

The hospitality industry, including hotels, resorts, and five-star hotels, had already begun transitioning to green energy.

Industry partners associated with KTM shifted to cooking gas, solar energy, and electric cooking equipment.

“The current crisis has emerged despite the sector largely complying with calls to limit the use of traditional smoke-emitting wood stoves,” he pointed out.

Pradeep said that the cooking gas shortage could also negatively affect the state’s economy.

Thousands of workers are employed in this sector, and many hospitality establishments are at risk of shutting down, he said.

“With the tourism season expected to become active again after the March examinations, the sector could suffer major revenue losses", he said.

KTM secretary S Swaminathan said the state’s tourism revenue is at an all-time high and that the sector’s contribution to the state’s economy is significant.

This will also affect the destination weddings that were planned much earlier, as well as the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, he added.

KTM appealed to the authorities to take immediate steps to ensure the availability of cooking gas cylinders for the tourism and hotel industry.

It also noted that this is a period when online food orders have increased significantly.

“If hotels are forced to shut down, it would not only result in major job losses but could also leave many dependent groups, including students and people living alone who rely on these establishments for meals, without access to food,” Swaminathan said. PTI

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)