Revenge tourism: Kodagu mulls moves to beat footfall stress

Bengaluru: With a post-pandemic surge in the number of visitors threatening to place Kodagu under ecological stress, tourism officials in the district are putting together mitigation strategies that push awareness with regulation.

They highlighted tourist footfalls that now cover almost the entire year, unlike the familiar seasonal – September to December – patterns. Anita Bhaskar, Deputy Director of Tourism, Kodagu, traced the numbers to revenge tourism and noted that visitors entering Kodagu in private vehicles were adding to the clutter.

The Department of Tourism will launch a ‘Travel for Life’ campaign in September, aimed at encouraging sustainable and responsible tourism. It proposes to minimise the use of single-use plastic, encourage tourists to experience local cuisines, and use water responsibly.

“Kodagu was the seventh most searched destination in the world last year. It is important to ensure sustainable tourism practices,” Anita told DH.

The district recorded more than 42 lakh footfalls in 2023, almost entirely contributed by domestic visits. The figure was over 34 lakh in 2018. Kodagu recorded a 73 per cent jump in footfalls from 2022.

Environmentalists have been emphasising the issue of inadequate solid waste management systems in the region and rampant extraction of groundwater by commercial establishments. The decluttering efforts come when the department is devising state-wide strategies to divert tourists to less-frequented destinations.

The Kodagu district administration maintained that restrictive measures like e-passes could not be implemented without the policy-level backing of the state government. “As and when the state comes up with a comprehensive plan on e-passes, Kodagu will be a stakeholder,” Venkat Raja, Deputy Commissioner, Kodagu, said.

Located on the Western Ghats, Kodagu is among Karnataka’s top-ranked hill stations and has continued to attract tourists globally. The district is also the state’s least populous, with 5,54,519 residents, according to the 2011 census.

Devastated by the 2018 floods and landslides that caused 20 deaths and damaged about 4,000 homes, Kodagu had a slow recovery in tourism that was further hit by Covid-19. The 2023 surge and the 2024 numbers indicate strong trends that make a case for greater preparedness. The destination has also remained a favourite among weekend travellers from Bengaluru.

“Anti-tourism sentiment is building in many parts of the world including Barcelona. Kodagu should be relatively free of demographic pressure since it is the major catchment area for Cauvery. As the number of resorts increases, the questions on poor solid waste management and reckless extraction of groundwater remain unaddressed,” Col C P Muthanna, founder and honorary secretary of Environment and Health Foundation, said. He also called for restrictions on issuing new resort licences and more stringent guidelines for new homestays.

For Bengalureans DH spoke with, affordability and connectivity make Kodagu a favoured short-visit destination. HR professional Thanush Ganapathy underlined Kodagu’s unique mix of landscapes and warm hospitality. Ravi Kiran, a corporate employee and occasional biker, said the destination was a cheaper alternative to Ooty or Chikmagalur.