The Venice of the East, Alappuzha welcomes tourists to the backwaters of Kerala. The popular holiday destination in God’s Own Country receives tourists from all over the world. The unique eco-system of network of water offers the rare delight of houseboat tours. Traveling in a 5 star luxury houseboat as you pass through scenic villages, lush paddy fields and fishermen doing their daily routines is a pleasure unique to tourists visiting the state.
This holiday season 2015 marks a rise in the number of visitors in the coastal town. Most hotels and houseboats have registered more business. The increased inflow of tourists, noticed in the recent weeks, is expected to continue till Christmas and New Year season. Though accurate numbers were not available, there was at least a 10 per cent increase in tourist arrivals this month, Alappuzha district committee working president of the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association M.A. Karim quoted.
About 40 per cent of the tourists were from foreign countries. While budget hotels registered increased occupancy, five-star hotels had been receiving full occupancy for most of the time in recent weeks. There were also many visitors who arrived for cruise in backwaters on houseboats and returned to various destinations without staying in Alappuzha. There are a number of tourists who reach the coastal town by buses. Numerous low-floor air-conditioned buses operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation are run to service the growing numbers of visitors.
Houseboats are made available at many locations for the tourists to enjoy the backwaters cruise there and get to feel the taste of rural life. Homestays are also available at certain places, but the sector is yet to gain its deserved recognition in the tourism circuit. The District Tourism Promotion Council has been making efforts to improve the tourism with more facilities and a monitoring cell for the sector. The department has been keeping tabs on the houseboats to ensure trouble-free operations aiding tourism in every way.