Kerala Hotels to play the Grinch this Xmas

Season's special: Holidays set to pinch the wallet- The Economic Times

This year, premium hotels at leisure destinations across India have upped room rates by 30-35%, and have imposed a minimum-stay requirement between Christmas and New Year. Airlines are offering flights at peak rates and have closed the sale of tickets to popular destinations; these tickets will be sold at much higher rates closer to the start of the season, sources said.

Leela Kempinski’s associate head of sales at Kovalam, Prem Joseph, told ET: “We insist on a minimum 5-day stay as we don’t want to go unoccupied even for a single day. Hotels try to get maximum revenues during this time”.



It is not just the Leela Kovalam but almost all Kerala hotels are trying it on which even as a travel professional is sad. The rich are not bothered as they travel whenever they want. I worry as Sri Lanka which is Kerala's closest competitor for foreign visitors is just so much cheaper