Sustainable Mobility in Tourism: Analyzing the Utilization of Waterway Transportation by Tourists in Kochi, Kerala

Tourism has given a significant contribution to the growth of economies. Today, tourism is on the path of sustainability, and transportation for tourism is one integral part of it. Waterway transportation is one way of sustainable transportation for tourism as it is affordable, environmentally responsible, and energy-efficient. Kochi, known as the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea’ is one of the Major tourism destinations of Kerala. Among the major tourist destinations in Kochi, Fort Kochi which is located on an island is the top one. Kochi, made up of many small islands and the Ernakulam Mainland, has waterway transportation of Ferry to connect within. This ferry system is cheaper, faster, and more sustainable than road transportation. This paper tries to analyse the tourist perception in Fort Kochi in the utilization of waterway transportation for commuting from Ernakulam Mainland to Fort Kochi Island. Through the primary survey, it was observed that only 20% of the tourists in Kochi prefer to travel by the existing ferry systems. Interview with the selected people from the sample revealed that from the lack of door-to-door connectivity to the lack of infrastructural facilities, the reasons for this was vast. A few suggestions are given in order to bring a change in this.