Cruise calls to Kochi dip over 30%, tourism industry hit

Kochi: Regarded as the premier gateway for international luxury travellers to Kerala, Kochi is now witnessing a downturn. There is over a 30% drop in the number of cruise vessels that call at the Cochin Port. From 42 cruise ships in financial year 2024-25, it dropped to 29 in FY 2025-26, reflecting a slowdown after a record-breaking period.This decline is attributed to rising geopolitical volatility in the Red Sea since late 2024, which disrupted key international cruise routes. Travel plans have been further disrupted due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Reduced tourist arrivals by cruise ships have impacted the local tourism ecosystem, as even a single luxury liner can bring over 2,000 passengers. These visitors typically generate immediate business for the houseboat sector in Alappuzha, handicraft vendors in Mattancherry and taxi operators across the city. "In 2025-26, we had 13 foreign vessels and 16 coastal (domestic) vessels reaching Cochin Port. The drop now is most visible in the international segment, where foreign vessel calls dropped from a record high of the previous year to a more conservative 13 arrivals," a senior port official said. "The cruise ship voyages are often chartered one to two years in advance, and the impact is being reflected now," pointed out Lijo Jose, managing director of Muziris Heritage-India Experiences, a tour operator specialising in customised trips for international tourists. During the peak season from Oct to Dec, major global cruise lines from US or Europe were forced to abandon the Suez Canal route in favour of the much longer journey around the Cape of Good Hope. "For luxury liners travelling from Europe to Asia, this rerouting adds thousands of miles and adds significantly to the fuel cost. As a result, many operators have either fully cancelled their Indian Ocean itineraries, mainly Dubai-Singapore tours or shortened the trip, bypassing South Asian ports like Kochi. The ships that now call at the Cochin Port started sailing from Australia or Singapore," Jose said. "A single ship can create up to 500 jobs in terms of guides, tourist operators, taxi drivers etc," said Rajesh P R, a tour guide and visiting lecturer at Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management. However, domestic cruise ships are seeing a steady increase in passengers. Encouraged by the Sagar Mala initiative and the development of Sagarika International Cruise Terminal, Indian travellers are increasingly choosing Kochi as a primary ‘home port' or a major stopover for West Coast itineraries connecting Mumbai, Goa and Lakshadweep.