After a three-year lull caused by the pandemic, over 40 cruise ships are expected to call at Kochi during the October-April cruise season.
The arrival of cruise vessels is much awaited since they bring in high-spending globetrotters. Among them, 60% to 70% are senior citizens who have ample time to leisurely explore the world. This has brought cheer among stakeholders like ground-handling agents, sellers of curios and antiques, tour operators and guides, who were reeling under the impact of the steep fall in tourist arrivals.
A total of 31 cruise ships had visited Kochi in 2021-22, signalling the sector’s post-pandemic revival, informed sources said.
City-based tour guide Jessy, who is well versed in Italian and Spanish, spoke of how the number of cruise vessels could touch 50 this season, going by the number of enquiries and confirmations. “Both regular and cruise tourism stakeholders in Kerala are upbeat about the forthcoming season. Shore visits to Fort Kochi and Mattancherry are the most preferred, followed by backwater cruise cum lunch in Alappuzha,” she said.
The domestic cruise season has begun, with a vessel from Mumbai resuming its trips to Kochi. It is expected to bring in guests twice every month.
“International cruise liners are expected to arrive from October, for which tourism stakeholders would put up stalls selling curios, apparels, ayurveda products, spices and other items. The Ernakulam DTPC would help streamline shore tours in autorickshaws, cars and buses to Kochi city, popular heritage and tourism locales in West Kochi and the backwaters in Alappuzha and Kumarakom,” said sources in the Cochin Port Authority (CPA).
As many as 50 cruise vessels used to call at Kochi till the pandemic struck, each carrying approximately 1,500 tourists and almost as many crew members. In a rarity on January 17, three cruise vessels brought in 781 tourists. This was after foreign liners resumed their Kochi visit in November 2022 after the pandemic.
“A bulk of visitors are from Germany, UK, Italy, Australia, and the US. The difference this time would be that Canadians, if any, would have to remain on board their vessels due to visa curbs following the ongoing India-Canada tiff,” said a senior official of a Kochi-based shipping agency.
He hoped that at least one more domestic cruise operator would operate vessels to Kochi since it is considered a clean and serene locale, having friendly people. “Post-pandemic, many cruise firms have been offering all-inclusive packages to woo clients. This includes shore packages, for which guests had to hitherto spend additional sums.”
The port city has been taking pride in having the sole full-fledged international cruise terminal named Sagarika which was inaugurated on Willingdon Island in 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
