I entered the Kerala tourism industry in 2008, the year Lehman Brothers collapsed and sent the global economy into freefall. Not the most auspicious moment to begin a career in travel. But the industry bounced back faster than anyone expected, and what followed was one of the most remarkable growth stories in Indian tourism. I've had a front row seat to all of it. And now, in 2026, I find myself watching the industry navigate its most complex period yet. This is Kerala touris