Tag: kerala houseboats

The houseboats enjoy a unique pride of place in Kerala’s decorated tourism map. It’s an experience that most tourists cherish for a life time when they visit the state. It’s like the calling card of Kerala’s tourism brand. However, the corona virus pandemic has hit the segment hard and it will take months before normalcy returns to the industry, says Jobin J Akkarakalam, director, Spice Routes Luxury Cruises. The house boat segment involves high maintenance costs and hence the losses are even steeper. He estimates that the segment will see losses of Rs 2 crores every month. Excerpts: Q: The ... Read more

There is an imminent need for pricing to be cut down for the houseboat industry to survive. Pricing should be kept under check till at least December. In an interview, Sreekumar, Director of Sree Tours, Kumarakom, says certification should be provided to all boats depending on the hygiene standards. The government should look to provide a year-long tax holiday for tour packages, he adds. Excerpts: Q: The houseboat industry is going through probably its worst ever phase. Did you think that the crisis would end up having such a devastating effect on the industry? A: Yes, it’s going to be ... Read more

In the wake of recent accidents and safety concerns it has raised, the authorities have issued a set of fresh guidelines for houseboats in Alappuzha. The new guidelines, issued to prevent accidents, directs the houseboat owners to increase the height of railings at the lobby and rear-end of boats with seating facilities. The houseboat owners are directed to increase the height of the railings in 60 days. Safety instructions should also be displayed in multiple languages on the houseboats. Apart from the written materials, the crew of the boat, are instructed to give safety instructions and do’s and don’ts to the ... Read more