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India aims for larger slice of cruise sector
India is to upgrade port facilities as it seeks to attract more cruise line calls.
Ports due for upgraded cruise facilities include Mumbai, Mormugao (the port city of Goa); Cochin in Kerala, New Mangalore on the southwest coast and Chennai on the east coast.
Speaking at World Travel Market, Leena Nandan, joint secretary to the Indian tourism ministry, said a target of attracting 100,000 cruise passengers a year by the end of 2010 had been set.
“Cruise operators are more than ever searching for new destinations and itineraries and India’s reputation as an enchanting, exotic and historical destination lends itself ideally to becoming a major port of call,” she said.
Nandan said India was well-located to create and expand regional cruise itineraries. The country’s rapidly-expanding tourism figures – both overseas and domestic traffic – meant that India could support a burgeoning cruise market.
Nandan added: “Our aim will be to try and tempt cruise passengers into returning to India for a longer stay.
“We aim to ensure that India’s cruise industry is competitive with other international destinations – and that as well as developing existing ports, we also explore other possible anchoring sites around the Indian coast.”
There are also plans for stronger marketing of river cruises on the Mandovi and Zuari rivers in Goa, the Brahmaputra in Assam, the Hooghly River in West Bengal and the backwaters of Kerala.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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