Mon Jun 23 14:34:07 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:

**Summary:**

A recent U.S. travel advisory urging citizens to exercise increased caution when traveling to India, citing concerns about crime and terrorism, is expected to negatively impact Kerala’s tourism industry. Kerala heavily relies on tourists from the U.S. and the U.K., and industry stakeholders fear the advisory will deter travelers despite Kerala not being specifically mentioned as a high-risk area. The advisory, coupled with existing geopolitical tensions in West Asia, creates a challenging outlook for Kerala’s upcoming tourist season. Tourism leaders are urging the Indian government to address the U.S. advisory to mitigate its damaging effects.

**News Article:**

**U.S. Travel Advisory Threatens Kerala Tourism Recovery**

*Thiruvananthapuram, June 23, 2025* – Kerala’s tourism industry, already struggling to rebound post-pandemic, faces a new challenge in the form of a recent U.S. travel advisory cautioning citizens about travel to India. The advisory, issued on June 18th, cites concerns about violent crime, including sexual assault at tourist sites, potential terrorist attacks, and limited U.S. government capacity to provide emergency services in certain regions.

While the advisory does not specifically mention Kerala, tourism officials fear a significant drop in visitors from key markets like the U.S. and the U.K. These two countries accounted for over 200,000 foreign tourist visits to Kerala in 2024, representing a significant 13.33% and 14.55% respectively of total foreign arrivals.

“The U.S. travel advisory is taken seriously by tourists globally,” said E.M. Najeeb, senior vice-president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators. “An average foreign tourist will not try to check whether Kerala is excluded from the list. They simply drop the country from their itinerary.”

James Kodianthara, chairperson of the Kerala chapter of the IATO, believes the U.S. advisory will also deter tourists from other European countries. The advisory also limits the travel of U.S. government employees in India.

Kerala’s foreign tourist season typically runs from November to March, with bookings usually ramping up during the summer months. However, this year’s season faces multiple headwinds. “Already, the deepening economic and geopolitical challenges in West Asia are set to pose a serious challenge to the tourism markets here, as the majority of the tourists from Europe and the U.S. have to travel through the transit hubs in the strife-torn West Asia to reach here”, said Mr. Kodianthara

Tourism stakeholders are urging the Indian government to engage with the U.S. administration to address the advisory and mitigate its potentially devastating impact on Kerala’s tourism sector.

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