India News | Houseboats Resume Operation for Tourists in Kerala's Kumarakom Despite Rising COVID Numbers

Kottayam (Kerala) [India], September 1 (ANI): Houseboat tourism has resumed in Kerala's Kumarakom more than one and a half years since it shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

This comes after the transport authority of the Kerala government permitted the operation of houseboats, sources said.

Also Read | Monsoon 2021 Update: Rainfall Till August 9% Less Than Normal, Likely To Be Above Normal in September.

Kumarakom is famed for its lakes and rivulets with houseboats and is one of the most sought after tourism destinations in Kerala.

Sabumon Kalarikkal, owner of a houseboat told ANI, "The tourism sector has restarted now. However, only a few tourists have been coming. We hope that the sector makes a recovery after being hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic for over a year."

Also Read | Schools in Rajasthan Reopen for Classes 9-12 Following COVID-19 Protocols.

In an effort to provide a safe environment to the tourists, most workers and employers at these houseboats have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Shiju S, a staff member on the houseboat said that "they have both the doses of COVID vaccines".

This comes even as Kerala continues to report the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country. Kerala reported 30,203 new COVID-19 cases and 115 deaths on Tuesday, according to the state health department bulletin. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)