December 15, 2017 TnH Global

‘Ease policies, improve infra to develop cruise tourism’

If the country wants to develop cruise tourism which has vast potential, she needs to upgrade infrastructure, ease security and immigration policies and attract investments, says a leading cruise-line operator. Government is keen to develop cruise tourism and working on a policy to increase the cruise liner traffic. Currently the country doesn’t figure in the world’s cruise tourism map as she gets only a very small fraction of the world cruise tourism market, which was estimated at 23 million passengers in 2016.

“India has long coast line but it she wants to develop cruise tourism, she needs to improve the infrastructure, ease policies and attract investments. More and more Indians are now looking at adventure vacations on cruise,” Royal Caribbean Cruises India representative Ratna Chadha told reports on- board the Celebrity Constellation here.

The cruise tourism to develop, there has to be world- class port berths for cruise ships and simplify security and immigration procedures for tourists as already there is a surge in international passenger vessels making round trips to the country’s ports, she said. The 90,000-tonne Celebrity Constellation from the US- based Celebrity Cruises, is on her maiden sail to the city as part of her round-trip voyage from Abu Dhabi, carrying around 2,000 guests both foreign and Indian.

“This is the first time we have segmented a cruise ship for 12 nights sailing from Abu Dhabi to Goa and Mumbai and begin return trip to Abu Dhabi from Thursday,” she said.

Lisa Vogt, vice-president, international corporate charter sales at Celebrity Cruises, “India is on our radar and we are strategically targeting the MICE segment and identify opportunities, which include weddings and global meetings.”

News Source: PTI