Luxury cruise liners will commence operations from Sri Lanka to Kerala on October 2, Gandhi Jayanthi Day, giving a fillip to the burgeoning tourism industry.

The launch of cruise ships between the island nation and Kerala follows the efforts of Kerala Tourism and Minister for Tourism A.P. Anil Kumar to increase the footfalls to the State during the Visit Kerala Year.

The services are being launched by the Colombo-based Herbilan Cruises Lanka Pvt Ltd (HCLPL) and will go on till March 2017. The seven day-six night services using a cruise ship bearing Panama flag will be on the Colombo-Kochi-Maldives-Colombo sector. “The cruise ship will call on the Kochi Port on October 3. and it can carry 590 tourists and 260 staff.” the Chief Executive Officer, HCLPL, Ivan De Almeida, who was in the capital for discussions with the tourism officials, told The Hindu .

The ship will have Presidential suite, Luxury suite and Deluxe suite.