India Bets on Cruises: New Ports, More Ships – Big Goals
Photo Credit: India's first international cruise vessel, MV Empress set sail from Chennai to Sri Lanka. Cordelia Cruises / Cordelia Cruises
Skift Take
Destinations, cruise service providers and the government have been sitting up and taking note of the country’s potential in generating revenues and jobs. Now only if the sailing is smooth.
India wants to bet big on cruises. Consider these ambitious plans from Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy:
Increase the number of cruise passengers to 4 million by 2041, up from just 300,000 this year. Build three new international cruise ports by 2024. Grow the number of cruise ships from 208 in 2023 to 500 by 2030 and a staggering 1,100 by 2047.The goal is to bring in some $4.9 billion in revenue from cruises by 2041.
India has many natural advantages, including 12 major and 200 minor ports, a coastline stretching 4,660 miles and a network of over 12,427 mile-long navigable waterways.
The international cruise terminal in Mumbai will be operational by December this year, the one in Goa’s Mormugao by November, and the Visakhapatnam terminal will start functioning next month. A $2 million swanky cruise terminal was recently inaugurated at Chennai Port, spread over an area of 2,880 square meters with a capa
