U. Bharath (cbedit@imaws.org)
The seasonality of the renowned tourism industry in Kanyakumari district — boasting offshore cultural icons like the Thiruvalluvar statue, Vivekananda Rock and Padmanabhapuram Palace — has negatively impacted the restaurant sector. Going forward, the Tamil Nadu government should better package the district’s tourism potential, which, in turn, would help sustain the food businesses in the long run, observed M. Shajahan, President of the Kanyakumari District Hotel Owners’ Association (KDHOA).
Contending that tourist arrivals are largely limited to the summer vacation (April–May) and the Sabarimala pilgrimage period – Christmas-Pongal season (November to January) — Shajahan informed that throughout the rest of the year, restaurant businesses face average footfalls and subdued operations. “As the district is located at the southern tip of the country, the floating population using it as a transit point is also limited, which adds to our woes,” he said.
Promote Tourism and Create Infra for Film Shoots
Enhancing tourism infrastructure and packaging the district’s scenic locales as an attractive destination for both tourists and film shoots — similar to neighbouring Kerala — would increase off-season tourist inflows, Shajahan said. “If these measures are implemented, they would naturally improve business prospects for the hospitality industry. As of now, we do brisk business only during peak tourist seasons, and for the rest of the year, business is below par compared to other districts in Tamil Nadu,” he added.
Throwing light on the district’s appeal for film shoots, Shajahan said that locales like Muttom, Vattakottai, and Kanyakumari have traditionally attracted film crews. However, “film units visiting the district have also declined over the years,” he pointed out.
Labour Shortage and Rising Staff Salaries
From labour shortages and rising staff salaries to the impact of inflation on essential commodities, the Kanyakumari restaurant industry is grappling with major challenges on a daily basis, say restaurateurs.
Shajahan pointed out that the high literacy rate among women — at 90.06 per cent — has led many potential employees to overlook the restaurant sector. “Womenfolk seek greener pastures and don’t look at the restaurant sector as a viable employment option, leading to a persistent shortage of service staff,” he said.
Another major concern is the rising cost of staff salaries. “While a dosa master earns Rs 1,200 per day and cleaning staff are paid Rs 700 per day, salaries keep increasing even as the employee pool shrinks. It’s a double whammy!” he added.
Lack of Industrial Growth Not Addressed
Citing the lack of industrial growth as another setback, Shajahan noted that “even though Kanyakumari is a major rubber-producing district in India, which could otherwise support job creation and boost the local economy, the rubber industry has been declining due to low profitability, rising input costs, and growing competition from Kerala.”
Restaurateurs argue that the government needs to take note of their situation. Declining profitability has prompted many rubber growers to abandon their traditional livelihood and shift to palm cultivation.
Other contributing factors to the decline include high production costs, price volatility and low utilisation of rubber wood — all of which have affected what was once a thriving local industry.
Mandatory Wastewater Treatment Facility a Burden
Installing Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTF) in restaurants has become a pressing issue, as untreated discharge affects pollution levels. As per the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), restaurants with a minimum seating capacity of 36 must install WWTFs.
While the TNPCB insists on wastewater recycling to curb pollution, most small and medium-sized restaurants lack the financial resources to comply. “Small restaurants simply cannot afford such facilities, which require an investment of at least Rs 5 lakh. But authorities still impose fines of up to Rs 5,000 when untreated wastewater is discharged,” complain restaurateurs.
Restaurants also face criticism from authorities when kitchen waste, especially from non-vegetarian outlets, is sold as feed to pig farms. “These restrictions are hurting smaller players. Authorities should suggest alternative solutions that don’t punish us unduly,” they urged.
TNHA’s Food Delivery App a Potential Gamechanger
A novel idea has been floated by the Tamil Nadu Hotel Association (TNHA) to create a dedicated food delivery app, which Shajahan believes would benefit restaurateurs immensely.
“We are eagerly awaiting the launch of the proposed app, which would help bypass food aggregators that demand a significant share of our revenue as commission,” he said. “The revenue losses could be mitigated once this app is in place.”
Food Safety Measures Strictly Followed
Restaurateurs stressed that all member establishments adhere to food safety protocols, including the discontinuation of plastic sheets for serving or packing food. Banana leaves are now being used instead, in compliance with the latest food safety regulations.
Mandatory health checks and the requirement to obtain a doctor’s certificate before hiring employees in kitchen and service roles are also strictly followed, they added.
“We have also discontinued serving mayonnaise as a sauce in restaurants, following its recent ban in Tamil Nadu. If made using raw eggs, which could harbour harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, it could potentially cause food poisoning,” concluded the restaurateurs.
