Tourism News

Scaling heights: Boom time for houseboat industry

Published in Newsletter Issue No. 136 - Dec 1 2004

Kerala?s houseboat industry is having real great time. The industry is going places, with fifty new houseboats launched in Alappuzha backwaters this year. As per the official sources, the total number of houseboats has increased to 250. The industry is reaping profits with almost all the boats doing remarkable business. The estimated annual turnover of the industry is around Rs.150 million. In addition to houseboat tourism, the houseboat building industry is also witnessing a boom time in Alappuzha.

Foreigners constitute the majority of tourists who rent houseboats every year. The houseboat industry thus contributes a good deal towards the valuable foreign exchange earnings of the country.

Houseboat tourism has become an essential part of Kerala?s backwater tourism. A large number of houseboats have two bedrooms, but there are also some with as many as five bedrooms. There are air-conditioned as well as non-air conditioned houseboats for tourists. Food and beverages are served to tourists in the houseboats. The houseboats usually operate during daytime and anchor along the coast at night.