Move to ban liquor continues to be the hot topic in Kerala. Personally I like to believe that this is very much a political move , a result of the power tussle between the stalwarts of Congress party. The implementation also leaves many questions ahead of us and as any other citizen of the state I too have my reservations on the results and very much skeptical about the possible catastrophes. No doubt its going to hurt the state exchequer quite badly with an anticipated revenue loss estimated to Rs.8000 Crores. Having said all this , and being an "above average" spirit lover it gives me a good amount of pleasure seeing Kerala taking the path of "alcohol ban".
Keeping aside the technical side of it.... the impacts including flow of adulterated spirit , hooch tragedies, home made arrack, impact on addicts so on and so forth, I would rather prefer to see the face of a smiling family with happy kids, healthy men , and better living conditions as result of saved income. No more people lying on the streets, no more brawls and fists of fury after drinking, lesser road accidents... yes I am game for it. Sounds to be an Utopian theory... but that's my take.
Have been maintaining a deliberate silence on this topic and was silently observing , communicating with some of my friends and I felt its time to express my views now, though I am sure , it may not be to the liking of my friends from the Hotel & Tourism Industry.
There has been a lot of hue and cry over the impacts of tourism..... widely covered in our media that it is going to Kill Tourism in Kerala... Sorry I have my strong differences here. It would have some impact for sure but I would like to thing from the point of view of a common man of Kerala before I step into my tourism shoes. You will not find a foreigner lying on the street after a couple of drinks neither fighting in the streets of Kerala. They just enjoy their drink with the dinner and that too in a limited quantity. Sharing my views....( we can debate and I am looking forward to some open healthy discussion)
Kerala Tourism has more serious issues which are directly affecting the tourist arrivals. Why are we not making serious attempts to overcome evils like the frequent Harthals ( strikes), poor infrastructure, bad roads, illegal constructions, encroachments , waste disposal and various forms of pollution. If we rectify these issues it could fetch more tourists that we may possibly loose as a result of the liquor ban.
1) I don't think that liquor was a reason / attraction for a foreign guests to chose Kerala for their holiday. neither it was a catalyst. I would like to believe that it was only a "feel good factor" once they were here. we have always thrived with our unique attractions, culture, history, natural beauty and the people. If that wasn't the case Goa was always there, which is the place to party and have fun.I would see it as an insult for a state like Kerala if we project alcohol as per our selling Point
2) with my 15 odd years experience in Tourism Industry , I feel, hard liquor has never been the priority for the foreign travelers, especially in our kind of climate. Yes beer and wine is a major concern which I strongly recommend for and has a major role as far as tourism is concerned. It should be made available, no second thoughts.
3) Yes with regard to domestic tourists there would be some impact especially in the corporate travel and MICE segments. Again majority of the MICE and Corporate requirements in Kerala happen in 5 star properties where there is huge inventory.. and the bar licence for 16 of them is still intact. Then comes the 3-4 star hotel segment which too gets a decent share of corporate events. Yes they will be affected , and a policy must be negotiated with the government for a one day licence ( which was already there). Prior requests can be made with the details of the event and the hotel can take the licence to serve the same. However they are only allowed to serve and not sell. The liquor for the event could be brought by the organizer. It sounds complicated but.... better than nothing.
4) Existing Bars who are asked to close down may be given Beer and Wine Licence and staff could be retained to avoid job loss. Rest could be considered for restaurant jobs. Government should take the responsibility of rehabilitation.
5) Govt should ensure that there are no adulterated beer or wine sold and must take strict actions including periodic checks and including cancellation of licence. Go strict on local produce as well.
6) Toddy parlors could be increased with a stress on hygiene , being natural , toddy isn't a bad alternate as far as the localites are concerned, however not at all practical for tourists.
The rule is cut down the consumption of liquor by the residents of kerala and not the tourists. It's a socio- cultural issue and having a major impact on the living of many house holds across the state. Alcoholism is a direct reason for the domestic violence, abuse and health of the people here. Lets be more concerned about that. The drinking habits of our people have been very embarrassing and I have been a victim of it during air travel, while in movie halls, travelling in trains and where not. The average Keralite drinker's objective is to prove how much he can gulp in one go, as if a competition with his mates than taking in what he is comfortable with. The first thing he has to tell his friends next day is about the gallons he gulped down the previous night stamping his " capacity" , his fabulous knowledge on different brand names and using their abbreviations aptly. Come on , the national consumption is average 2 litres per person in an year and we are happily cruising over the 8 litre mark . The long queues outside the Bevco outlets bring a smile to our faces, all movie and TV comedies have drunkard characters who are widely accepted and enjoyed... 90 % of the jokes we read and share are about liquor, photos of expensive liquor we share gleefully, and talk about the sessions we had...( i am no exception) but is this time for a change... don't they all deserve a better living, don't our children deserve to live in a better society?
When the majority of the state is welcoming this rule why should we object this citing technical reasons...and let's not think alone on the tourism angle alone, be a general public first...Tourism in Kerala has been a success story due to the efforts of many personalities from the public & private sectors and liquor had never been a criteria. It will be alright.... lets not panic.
I enjoy my drink whenever I get a chance and would have reasons to be upset with this proposed ban .. that doesn't mean that I am alcoholic or can't live without it. If its there i might have an occasional session, if it's there to go... what else to do ......let it go.
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