Edakkara: A crisis triggered by conflict in the Gulf region and a shortage of cooking gas for commercial use has severely impacted the tourist bus industry. With uncertainty over the availability of food at hotels in tourist destinations, many people have postponed leisure trips, pushing the sector into distress.

Pilgrimage travel has also declined. Trips to popular tourist destinations such as Mysuru, Ooty, Munnar, Kodaikanal, Kodagu (Coorg), Wayanad and Alappuzha, as well as pilgrimage centres like Velankanni, Malayattoor, Erwadi, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Kashi and Rameswaram, have come down.

Bus operators say bookings have dried up as many hotels in these locations remain closed. Another factor hurting the tourism sector is the perception that remittances from the Gulf may be disrupted due to the ongoing conflict.

There are over a thousand tourist buses in the district, including mini buses, providing direct and indirect employment to thousands of workers. The season that usually begins around the time of Eid has been lost this year.

April and May are typically the busiest months for tourist buses, while operations slow down during the monsoon. The income earned during the peak season sustains the industry for the rest of the year. At present, many buses remain parked at petrol pumps and depots, reflecting the scale of the crisis.