Chicken, duck out of houseboat menu

ALAPPUZHA: The fast-spreading bird flu has proved to be a bolt from the blue for the tourism industry in the district.

Many holiday-makers have already cancelled their tour programmes to the  Venice of the East.  

The houseboat owners have also stopped serving  chicken and duck dishes to the  guests. “In the wake of the bird flu outbreak, the All-Kerala Houseboat Owners Association has instructed  all houseboat owners to keep duck and chicken dishes off  the menu from Wednesday.

Instead, the menu will consist of  more fish and mutton  items,” said Mr  N. Sreekumar, general secretary of the association.

Mr Tomi Pulickattil, a houseboat owner, said the clients had started enquiries on the bird flu. “Till the situation improves, we will go without duck dishes,”  he said.            

“A 15-member team from Bangaluru cancelled their trip on Tuesday in the wake of the bird flu panic,” said  Mr Switten George, another houseboat owner.            

Mr C. Pradeep, secretary, District Tourism Promotion Council, said that there was no serious  threat to the tourism sector. 

“The council is closely watching the situation which would improve soon as the government has decided to cull all birds in the affected areas,”  he hoped.