As airfares are skyrocketing ahead of every peak travel season in the Kerala-Gulf sector, the government plans to press chartered passenger ships between Kerala and the UAE to bring passengers home along with promoting luxury cruise tourism between the destinations.
A stakeholder meeting convened by the Kerala Maritime Board (KMB) and the Malabar Development Council (MDC) has started initial work.
Murukan V., managing director of Ananthapuram Shipping and Logistics Pvt Ltd, which submitted a proposal to the State government, says if there is dedicated traffic between the destinations, the proposal of chartered passenger ships can be worked out easily. An overseas passenger can reach home at just one-third or less than 50% of the peak airfare, that too without any major restrictions on luggage.
It will take three-and-a-half days to reach Beypore in Kozhikode from Dubai port, but it will be a memorable voyage for passengers. The service can also be used for cargo transportation as some of the cruise ships pressed in for the purpose can carry up to 500 cars. The Tourism department can also make use of this facility for promoting luxury cross-border voyages, says Mr. Murukan.
KMB Chairman N.S. Pillai says the board is ready to take the lead role in starting the venture, for which inter-departmental permission is required. The government will have to offer some incentives to make the project viable. Since the last Budget earmarked a corpus fund of ₹15 crore to end the travel woes of non-resident Keralites, it can be utilised for providing viability gap funding in the initial stage, says Mr. Pillai.
The KMB will collect the potential traffic data of passengers between the destinations with the help of NoRKA-Roots in the first phase. If there are enough numbers to introduce passenger ships, it will then invite an expression of interest to find an agency to run the services, says Mr. Pillai.
“There will not be any paucity of passengers as the voyage is equally a premium luxury trip. Further, we have proved our mettle during the COVID-19 outbreak by operating chartered flights to bring stranded Keralites back home,” says MDC president C.E. Chakkunny.
Port Minister Ahammad Devarkovil says after taking a call on the travel schedule and the fare required for chartering a ship, online registration can be started by NoRKA-Roots in association with expatriate organisations in UAE to find passengers.