Thiruvananthapuram: Stanly John, who runs a modest sea-facing hotel near Poovar, had hosted at least four middle-class Chinese families in the last year. “The head of one of the families in fact came to our coffee shop with a Chinese magazine that had Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the cover. He told me that Modi had triggered a huge interest in China for India,” Mr John said.
The Tourism Department is all set to cash in on Modi's popularity in China. Kerala Tourism will organise two road shows and participate in a four-day Beijing International Tourism Expo (BITE) in May. Industry insiders, however, said that Chinese travelers had started appearing in Kovalam long before Modi's visit to China in May 2015. "Modi might have triggered an interest but the Chinese started reaching Kovalam shores at least two years ago," said said Mr Sejoe Jose of Marvel Tours.
More than Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese president Xi Jinping should be credited for China's new-found love for the state. President Jinping's merciless crackdown on corruption, it is said, has forced Chinese, the world's most enthusiastic travelers, to search for economical destinations.
The tourism industry in Kovalam is keenly watching the presence of Chinese. "The numbers are small but there is definitely some movement," said Sudhiesh Kumar of Kerala Hotel and Restaurants Association. The Chinese who are in Kovalam seem to prefer budget hotels. But the profile of these travellers has not emerged in any clear manner.
Nonetheless, unlike the Europeans, these easterners seem to be less fussy. Their simple undemanding nature could also be attributed to a language block. "The biggest problem we are facing is the lack of translators for Chinese tourists. The Chinese don't speak English and since they love to move around we need language experts who can introduce them to our places," said Mr Sejoe Jose.
