Minister PA Mohammed Riyas said that the tourism sector suffered a major blow due to the campaign against Wayanad in connection with the Chooralmala disaster. Speaking at the third edition of the Legislative Book Festival, the minister remarked that while the landslide in Chooralmala remains an unhealed wound, social media portrayed it as if the entire district of Wayanad was affected by the landslides.
The Minister's words
"Kerala cannot move forward in the tourism sector without experimentation. The beaches of Kerala have greater potential than those of Goa. Many districts in Kerala have beaches with immense tourism possibilities. The key is to develop the necessary infrastructure. This includes enhancing adventure sports and water sports. It also involves designing beaches and their surroundings in line with the preferences of international tourists.
Unnecessary controversies have arisen regarding the development of water sports. Another example is the Chooralmala disaster. It left a deep and unhealed wound in everyone’s mind. However, through continuous exaggeration, it was portrayed as the 'Wayanad Disaster.' On social media, there were massive hashtags like 'Wayanad Disaster,' even though the calamity was limited to Chooralmala. Other parts of Wayanad were unaffected.
But the campaign led to hotel bookings in Wayanad being cancelled months in advance. It took extensive efforts and significant campaigns to overcome this setback."