Soon, a floating ‘koothambalam’ to woo cruise tourists Updated: Updated: ₹4.80-crore performing arts theatre likely to be readied by August Share Article ₹4.80-crore performing arts theatre likely to be readied by August About one lakh tourists who arrive in Kochi in cruise ships every year will soon be able to watch Kerala’s traditional art forms while seated in a floating ‘koothambalam’ - a cruise tourism facilitation-centre-cum-performing-arts-theatre that can accommodate 300 people at a time. The structure, which will be readied by August, will largely be based in the waterbody that abuts the international cruise terminal in Willingdon Island, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 14. It could be towed to any location in the backwaters, including to Bolghatty Island that had India’s first full-fledged marina on its eastern side, said S. Vijayakumar, Secretary of Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC).