Kochi: It was a smooth sail for over 2000 foreign tourists in Kochi and Alappuzha on the hartal day on Friday with no hindrance or protests coming in their way. According to tour guides, the tourists in fact enjoyed the congestion-free roads and less polluted air which allowed them to savour the beauty of the locales without trouble.
Most of the shops and business establishments in tourist destinations of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry remained open which enabled the tourists to shop as well. The tourists had arrived in two chartered flights from United Kingdom and three cruiseliners, one of which, Marvella Discovery, was in a turnaround trip with the chartered flights, which came on Thursday.
The Kochi city police escorted 50-odd buses which carried the tourists to different destinations which included Kumbalangi and Vaikom. “By afternoon the police escort was withdrawn as the situation was found to be peaceful,” said tourist guide P. Rajesh. “Many tourists were happy to know that the presence of police was to ensure smooth tourism activity. We, however, had to cancel visits to places such as Broadway where most of the shops remained closed. Overall it was a very productive trip and the whole tourism sector is relieved.”
