Cruise passenger traffic grew from 1.26 lakh to 4.68 lakh: Tourism Minister Kishan Reddy

The Centre is taking several initiatives to promote cruise tourism, the Union minister says on the sidelines of the fourth tourism working group meeting of the G20 in Goa.

Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy in Goa on Monday. (Photo: PIB)

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Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday said that India’s long coastline, with access to several ports, natural beaches, and beautiful islands, was a key lever for trade and growing exports and also provided opportunities to promote tourism.

At a side event on cruise tourism at the fourth tourism working group meeting of the G20 in Goa, he said the central government was working for the upgradation and modernisation of ports, rationalisation of port fees, removing ousting charges, granting priority berthing to cruise ships and providing e-visa facilities to promote cruise tourism.

“The cruise passenger traffic grew from 1.26 lakh in 2015-16 to 4.68 lakh in 2019-20 and the cruise vessel traffic increased from 128 in 2015-16 to 451 in 2019-2020… The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is working towards the development of dedicated terminals for cruise passengers and cruise vessels. Waterdromes at 16 locations are being developed to enable sea-plane operations and also aiming at domestic and international cruise terminal development at selected ports by 2023,” he said.

Dr M Beena, chairperson of the Cochin Port Authority, said that under the Maritime India Vision 2030, four theme-based coastal destination circuits had been envisaged to be developed to promote cruise tourism along the Indian coastline.

“The circuit destinations include pilgrimage tours in Gujarat, cultural and scenic tours on the western coast, Ayurveda wellness tours in Kerala on the south coast and heritage tourism on the eastern coast,” she said.

Beena said that in Gujarat, a dedicated circuit for pilgrim tourism to tap tourists visiting Dwarka, Veraval, Somnath and Porbandar could be developed along the state’s coastline. “A history and culture circuit connecting Mumbai to the Sindhudurg Fort to the beaches in Goa and extending to Kannur (Kerala backwaters) can be developed on the western coast. Kerala’s coastline can be harnessed for Ayurvedic wellness and scenic tourism in Kochi, Trivandrum and Kozhikode. On the eastern coast, a heritage tourism circuit connecting Rameshwaram, Mamallapuram, Nellore and Kakinada could be leveraged,” she said. “The international cruise terminal at Mormugao in Goa will be operational by November 2023.”

Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said the state planned to expand its tourism potential by promoting lesser-explored avenues of spirituality, health and wellness, ecotourism and traditional aspects.

“The state aims to implement long-term branding and awareness campaigns which highlight local events and hinterland tourism, showcasing its abundant natural beauty and cultural heritage – Goa beyond the beaches. We are proud of our festivals – both innate and acquired – and the state actively promotes festivals such as the Rio-inspired carnival, our own culturally rich Shigmotsav, Sao Joao, Chikal kalo, to name a few,” he said.

While the state has two active airports, there is a need to improve on international air connectivity and the state is exploring options with the Centre to get more international flights to Goa, Khaunte said.