Kerala lets licensed 5-star-and-above hotels extend alcohol service 3 hours
Kerala just gave nightlife a boost: licensed bar hotels with five-star classification and above can now serve drinks three hours later than before.
The policy kicked off in February, but hotels need to pay an extra annual fee for the privilege.
The goal? Make Kerala more appealing for big events like conferences, destination weddings, and international gatherings.
Jose Pradeep backs late night hospitality
Tourism groups are all for it, Jose Pradeep, President of the Kerala Travel Mart Society, says late-night hospitality is key for events like weddings that often continue well into the night (especially popular with guests from places like Gujarat).
They're also hoping for even later hours on New Year's Eve and a lower legal drinking age.
With tourism numbers already bouncing back strong in 2025, over 25 million visitors, the new rules could help keep that momentum going.