Passengers wait at the airport as IndiGo flight disruptions continue across the country. File | Photo credit: ANI
It is peak tourist season in India, with foreign and domestic tourists flocking to destinations including Kerala. However, the ongoing aviation crisis with IndiGo flight cancellations across the country cast a gloom over the tourism industry, which was gearing up for the Christmas and New Year season with massive cancellations.
Speaking to The Hind, George Scaria, Managing Director, Keralavoyages India, a private tour operator, says, “I was literally on my toes on Friday night after an IndiGo flight from Varanasi to Delhi was cancelled. I had to arrange a luxury bus to take an 18-member Polish team visiting Varanasi to Delhi, from where they had to catch an early morning flight to Delhi just before they reached the Delhi airport. Somehow I lost track of time.” ₹3 lakh for just providing the bus, accommodation and food.”
There have been many cases of foreign tourists having to board flights to their country after their luggage got stuck at various transit airports in India due to flight cancellations and delays.
Vinod Vattekkat, general manager of Clouds Valley Leisure Hotel, Munnar, says there has been a large number of cancellations in recent days and if the problem is not resolved during this peak tourist season, businesses will be in real trouble.
Group travelers who have booked hotels are canceling their trips en masse because they cannot afford to reschedule their trip, while individual travelers’ reservations could be rescheduled to some extent. After a dull November, the booking trend for December has been good, with destinations and weather becoming favorable for a good season, says Mr Vattekkat.
The tourism industry is in turmoil after the IndiGo crisis broke out and the Center should take urgent measures to restore normalcy, says EM Najeeb, senior vice-president of the Indian Association of Travel Agents.
While services will be restored in a few days, it may take weeks for the sector to return to normal. Foreign tourist arrivals have already seen a dip in the first three quarters of 2025, with only 69.8 million foreigners visiting the country compared to 76.81 million foreigners in the same period last year.
The industry has been hopeful this season and currency devaluation has also instilled confidence among stakeholders. Kerala is coming back on the scene with domestic tourists on the rise, while its international recovery was just 62% compared to pre-Covid 19 figures.
In 2024, around 2.2 million domestic tourists visited various tourist spots in Kerala, while the number of foreign tourists was 7.38 million.
Published – 06 Dec 2025 21:01 IST
