Not having kept pace so far with the recent cruise boom in Asia, India’s cruise business has at last shown signs of awakening. Alan Lam reports.
International cruise operators have shunned the shores of India because of various issues relating to bureaucracy and weak infrastructure, leaving the country bereft of cruise business. There now seems to be a greater recognition in the importance this industry for the country. A number of developments have taken place in India in recent months.
At a recent meeting of tourism officials, chaired by the country’s Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mahesh Sharma, various issues facing India’s virtually non-existent cruise business were highlighted and the need to develop the industry was acknowledged.
Cruise operators have gradually increased their focus on India’s rivers and seaports. After overcoming a few initial issues, Azamara Club Cruises, for example, has announced offering a 20-night “Pearl along the Indian Ocean” itinerary for April 2017 onboard Azamara Journey. The cruise will set sail from Mumbai, with destinations including KudaBandos Islands, Goa, and Sri Lanka.
In Goa, the tourism department expects to welcome more than 30,000 cruise tourists during the first five months of 2015. It also expects 25 cruise ships to call at the state’s Mormugao port this year. So far this season AIDAsol, SIDAaura, Voyager, Azamara Quest, Seven Sea Voyager, and Nautica have called at the port. A new cruise terminal is currently under construction at Mormugao, due to open at the end of this year.
The sacred River Ganges has opened up for river cruising. Pandaw River Cruises and Uniworld are both expanding their operations there.
Many stakeholders are making a good deal of efforts to develop the business in India. The hope now is that this will not be another false start.