A cruise-passenger facilitation centre was recently inaugurated in Kochi at the marina at the cost of nearly Rs 7 crore by Union Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs K.V.Thomas.
The cruise-passenger facilitation centre covers an area of 1,500 sq m and has dedicated Customs and Immigration counters. It has x-ray scanning machines for baggage, metal detectors, rest rooms, prayer room, and feeding room.
The disabled-friendly terminal also has an acre of parking space for luxury coaches, tourist taxis and autorickshaws. The minister said the arrival of thousands of tourists on board cruise ships help stakeholders in the sector like hotels, taxi and autorickshaw drivers.
Tourism has entered the second phase in Kerala and the State no longer needs to be introduced as a tourism destination. The State is well known as a tourism locale, Mr Thomas said. He said that tourism projects in the pipeline in Kochi include the Kundanoor-Mattancherry Bridge scenic walkway and the modernisation of the fishing harbour.
In his address, the Minister for Tourism A. P. Anil Kumar said every year there is a spike the number of tourists visiting the state despite economic slump. In 2011-’12, tourist inflow crossed the 1-crore mark in Kerala. (Over 93 lakh domestic tourists and over 7 lakh foreign tourists).
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