KOCHI: It seems like the tour operators here have included Italian ship Enrica Lexie in the list of sought-after tourist destinations in Kochi, including Bolgatty Palace, Vallarpadam, Fort Kochi and Vypeen.Though the Italian Ship is turning out to be a headache for the government and the Cochin Port Trust, the tourist boats plying near the Marine Drive have used the opportunity to mint money by adding Enrica Lexie in their itinerary.“There are many people who come from other parts of the state to have a closer look at the Italian vessel which is docked at the oil terminal as it has been in the news for the past several days. We don’t charge anything extra for taking them closer to the ship. People are very surprised to see the size of the ship. Many even ask whether the soldiers who shot the fishermen are inside the ship,” Saju Varghese, a boat driver, said.Adding Enrica Lexi to the list makes the itinerary more attractive.“The ticket price is same, Rs 50. We generally show them the ship on the way to Vallarpadam Container Terminal. We have added Enrica Lexie to the package so that we get more customers,” Salim Ali, another tourist boat owner, said.At present, there are 20 boats plying with the tourists from Marine Drive and High Court boat jetties apart from the several private boats owned by the luxurious hotels that provide backwater rides to their tourists. In addition, there are several houseboats plying here.“The number of boats is very high but the tourist inflow is less. The North Indian tourists arriving at Marine drive are the ones who show interest in boat rides. Besides, we also have customers from the northern parts of the state. The number of foreign tourists was very low compared to last year. We mostly have a good time during weekends and during summer holidays,” Salim Ali said.
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