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India’s cruise tourism industry is set for significant growth, according to recent statements by government officials at the G20 summit and a press conference in Delhi.
V Vidhyavathi, the Secretary of Tourism, on Tuesday outlined the country’s ambitious vision, aiming to increase the number of cruise passengers from 0.3 million in 2023 to 4 million by 2041. The economic potential of the sector is also projected to rise from ₹712 crore to ₹35,500 crore by 2041.
To achieve sustainable tourism, the Secretary presented the five priorities of the “Goa Roadmap” at the G20 summit’s Tourism Working Group meeting. These priorities include green tourism, digitalization, skills development, support for tourism MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises), and destination management.
It was emphasized that these priorities provide a roadmap not only for India but for the entire world. A whole-of-government approach will be adopted in India, with the five priorities shared with central ministries and state governments for implementation.
Growth potential
M Beena, Chairperson of the Cochin Port Authority, highlighted the growth potential of India’s cruise industry, projecting a surge in revenue from ₹712 crore in 2016 to ₹35,500 crore by 2041.
The number of passenger ships is expected to increase from 166 in 2016 to 955 by 2041. Mumbai’s cruise potential is set to gain momentum with the upcoming International Cruise Terminal G+3, which will be operational by December 2023. The terminal is expected to welcome 3.2 million passengers by 2041.
To tap into India’s coastal tourism potential, the government has identified four theme-based coastal destination circuits. These circuits include Gujarat Pilgrimage tours, focusing on pilgrim tourism; the West Coast, highlighting cultural and scenic tours; Kerala’s coastline, promoting Ayurvedic wellness and scenic tourism; and the East Coast, offering heritage tourism circuits.
The government plans to establish ferry circuits and a dedicated cruise action team, while also upgrading and modernizing existing cruise terminals and constructing new ones.
Infrastructure facilities at Indian ports, including non-major ports, will be upgraded to accommodate larger cruise ships, and operating procedures will be standardised to align with international standards.
The government also aims to provide customs and immigration assistance for river cruises and has introduced a draft National strategy for cruise tourism, which includes various incentives for cruise lines such as guaranteed berths, reduced charges, and streamlined visa procedures, Rakesh Kumar Verma, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism said.
The draft also highlighted that all 12 major & 200 minor seaports along the 7500 km coastline and all river terminals along the 110 waterways through the 10,000 km rivers length of India showcasing them for build and or operation and the maintenance of terminal on PPP model, a copy of the document was reviewed by businessline.
Investor interest
The Ministry of Tourism intends to seek investor interest for cruise shipbuilding, create common platforms for ancillary and ship design systems, establish cruise tourism shipping repair clusters across India, and promote sustainability through increased recycling of cruise boats.
Moreover, the draft strategy envisions the development of terminals on a PPP model at all major and minor sea ports, river terminals, and waterways across the country.
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