Further to my Blog below I have recently
returned from Kerala where there was much discussion within the industry about
the new alcohol licencing rules. Heavy
drinking amongst local men within some sections of Kerala society is creating
serious problems within families (domestic violence and financial
hardship). A local politician wants to
tackle this issue and it would, of course, be a popular move amongst female
voters. The new law was rushed in and
already hundreds of bars in Kerala have been closed. However, the politicians did not, apparently,
consider the implications for tourism within the state.
It is, of course, unfair to penalise tourists
for a local issue – but the blanket approach does just that (hotel bars, even
those that only serve residents, are not exempt from the ruling). Bizarrely, the new rule only targets bars and
not ‘Off Licences’ – so people will still be able to buy alcohol by the
bottle!!
The travel industry recognises that this move
will have a detrimental effect on their business and has taken the case to the
High Court of India. At the time of
writing a decision is pending. This
means that the new rule did not come into force on 12 September as planned and
although many bars have already been closed - most hotel bars remain open for
the time being. But from 1 October the
other part of this new regulation – adding every Sunday to the list of ‘dry
days’ - has been adopted.
For our customers and all visitors to Kerala
the situation remains fluid and you will need to take local advice about the
consumption of alcohol.
