Luxury cruise liner from Mumbai to call at Kochi port

Promising start to full-scale resumption of Kerala tourism: Minister

A luxury cruise liner from Mumbai with 1,200 tourists on board will reach Kochi on Wednesday, signalling the reopening of the pandemic-hit tourism sector in Kerala to upcountry visitors.

Luxury liner MV Empress of Cordelia Cruises will anchor at the Kochi Port around 5 a.m., said a communication here from the cruise operator.

Around 800 guests on the ship from different States will disembark at Kochi to explore the city and its surroundings adhering to COVID-19 protocol.

The tourists will be taken to Mattancherry and Fort Kochi, touching several points of historical importance for which the area is known. A boat ride on the backwaters is part of their visit to the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea’.

Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas was cited in the press release as saying that the arrival of domestic tourists marked a promising start to the full-scale resumption of Kerala tourism.

Venu V., Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, said that tourism in Kerala was fast reconfiguring itself from the disruption caused by COVID-19. Destinations across the State were getting ready to receive guests.

V.R. Krishna Teja, Director, Tourism, said tourism activities in Kerala were regaining pace. The recently announced Caravan Tourism would expedite the process, he said. The cruise ship will leave for Kadamat, the Lakshadweep, in the afternoon.

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