The Unfortunate Incident
A woman from New Zealand, identified as Jeanice Govind, arrived in Kerala on April 1st with plans for a 21-day therapeutic retreat focused on Ayurveda near Poovar. Her experience, however, took a distressing
turn on April 5th when she went for dinner at the resort's restaurant. While she was away, a theft occurred from her securely locked suitcase within her room at the four-star Isola Di Cocco resort. The stolen items included a substantial amount of cash, specifically Rs 1 lakh, along with credit cards, personal jewelry, and her crucial passport. This incident not only caused immense distress but also forced her to abandon her planned itinerary, cutting her sojourn short by over a week and returning on April 10th.
Aftermath and Accusations
Following the discovery of the theft, the situation escalated as the recovered handbag and passport were found in an unkempt area of the resort grounds, though the cash and credit cards remained missing. Jeanice Govind expressed dissatisfaction with the initial response from the Pozhiyoor police, who she claimed were slow to register her case, citing pre-occupation with assembly election duties and other operational commitments. The police, however, refuted these allegations, stating that a resort staff member was apprehended in connection with the theft and subsequently remanded into judicial custody. The tourist also sought resolution from the resort management, requesting a refund for the unused portion of her prepaid package and treatments, compensation for her stolen property, and immediate financial aid due to the loss of her access to funds. Unfortunately, her requests were met with a refusal, with the resort management insisting on full payment for her entire booked period from April 1st to April 10th, irrespective of her curtailed stay and services not rendered.
Resort's Perspective
The resort's operations manager, Vishnu Janardhanan, presented a different account of the events and the resort's response. He asserted that the management had offered all feasible assistance to Jeanice Govind, including a refund for any treatments and services she had not utilized, which would be processed through her travel agent. Furthermore, the resort extended an offer to arrange alternative accommodation at their other facilities. However, according to Janardhanan, Govind insisted on being provided with air tickets to Dehradun and accommodation there, a demand that the resort did not agree to fulfill. He also mentioned that the resort typically caters exclusively to international guests during peak seasons and that this was the first time such a challenging situation had arisen during their operations.
Impact on Tourism
The distressing experience left Jeanice Govind with a negative impression of Kerala, leading her to declare she would not return. She voiced significant concern over the resort management's reaction, stating that instead of offering comfort or support following a crime committed on their premises, they appeared to downplay the incident. The fact that her package had not been refunded further exacerbated her dissatisfaction. Govind emphasized the critical importance of the tourism department and regulatory bodies understanding that Kerala's reputation as a secure and welcoming destination for international visitors is paramount to its industry's success and must be actively protected and upheld.
