Kerala alcohol ban gets temporary reprieve
The Kerala Supreme Court has given the tourism industry a last-minute reprieve after temporarily halting the state-wide alcohol ban that was due to start at the weekend.
It ordered the Kerala government to postpone the ruling until the end of the month after a legal challenge by the hospitality industry.
Hoteliers fear a booze ban would severely damage the Kerala tourism industry.
The court will now hear arguments from bar and restaurant owners.
The Kerala government wants to close down all 700 bars in the state immediately and phase out shops selling liquor over a ten year period.
Only five-star hotels would be exempt from the ban.
One of the main petitioners fighting the ban is the Kerala Hotels and Restaurants Association.
"The ball is now in the honourable High Court of Kerala and we presume that they will make an acceptable and judicious judgment in the interests of tourism," said the association’s president G. Sudhiesh Kumar.
"Let’s hope for the best, but we prepare for the worst," he added.
State alcohol taxes and fees brought in more than 1 billion in the 2012-2013 financial year and Kerala reputedly has the highest levels of alcohol consumption per capita in India.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026