The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal, called upon business leaders to invest in India‘s inland waterways sector, both in B2B and B2C businesses.
Calling the world’s longest river cruise, Ganga Vilas, a success, Sonowal said there was a need for investment in the flourishing river cruise tourism sector.
“We must have Narmada Vilas, Godavari Vilas, Mahanadi Vilas, Cauvery Vilas & many more river cruises all across our river-rich nation,” he stressed.
He urged business leaders to collaborate and develop new river cruising experiences across India, leveraging the vast potential of the Inland Waterways sector.
This call to action was also made during the 4th Tourism Working Group Meeting, where international organisations, cruise operators, industry stakeholders and cruise associations discussed the opportunities, challenges, and future prospects of the cruise tourism sector in India.
Notably, Raj Singh, CEO & Founder of Antara Luxury River Cruises, highlighted the remarkable growth in demand for Ganga Vilas and expressed optimism about increased confidence among Indian travellers towards cruise tourism.
During a conversation with ETTravelWorld on the sidelines of 4th TWG meeting in Goa, Singh acknowledged that there has been a substantial number of advance bookings already made for the upcoming embankment of Ganga Vilas, with a significant majority of the bookings coming from Indian travellers.
To transform India’s iconic lighthouses into heritage tourism sites, the inauguration of tourism facilities at the cities of Dwarka, Gopnath, and Veraval in Gujarat was initiated on July 1. Visitors to these tourism facilities will have the opportunity to delve into the rich history of the lighthouses through interactive exhibits, audiovisual presentations, and engaging guided tours.
In a significant development aimed at promoting cruise tourism in India, the Government of India has also successfully secured agreements with four renowned international cruise lines and established a vision for the year 2041.Dr. M. Beena, Chairperson of the Cochin Port Authority, revealed that Costa Cruises, MSC, Norwegian Cruises, and Royal Caribbean Cruises are scheduled to commence their domestic sailings in India between November and December 2023. These cruise lines collectively dominate 80 percent of the cruise market and will make it a historic moment for India’s domestic tourism once the sailings commence.
In addition, minister Sonowal also recently launched a campaign to transform 75 historic lighthouses into tourism spots during the inauguration of three revamped lighthouses in Dwarka, Gopnath and Veraval, Gujarat.
These transformed lighthouses serve as tourist destinations and mark the beginning of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways’ initiative to revitalise historic lighthouses nationwide.
With India’s G20 presidency symbolising the vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,’ Sonowal further emphasised the transformative initiatives in place, including the National Logistics Policy and the Gati Shakti National Masterplan for Multimodal Connectivity.
These reforms have propelled the growth of India’s infrastructure sector, while the government remains committed to transitioning towards green growth in the maritime sectors, the minister said.
