Kochi: After the hop-on-hop-off boat service to the tourist destinations of Kochi, it will soon be a cruise beyond the tourism map.
Aimed at promoting the inland water tourism in the district, the District Tourism promotion Council (DTPC) is all set to launch a tourist boat service to the unexplored destinations in an around Kochi.
“The plan is to take the tourists to destinations that can provide same experience as that of the backwater villages in Alappuzha or Kumarakom,” said T.N. Jayashanker, the DTPC secretary.
To operate the new route, the DTPC will soon be inviting bids from private boat operators and the service is scheduled to commence by March, next year.
“The private players are being roped as they can provide the two boats for operating the services, which will focus on domestic tourists in the first season and foreigners from the next season onwards,” the official added.
The services, which start from the cruise terminal at Marine Drive, will go to the islands located far off from Kochi like Thanthonnithuruthu, Pizhala and Moolampilly and conclude at Chathanad. The tourists would also be given the opportunity to conduct brief visits into the islands during these stopovers.
The new route is also expected give a boost to the traditional livelihoods of the islanders like cultivation of Pokkali rice and prawns or Chinese fishing nets, among others.
