Five ports to be made cruise tourism hubs

With a view to encouraging high-end tourism in the country, the government has identified five ports for developing as cruise tourism hubs.

The ports identified for the purpose are Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore and Kochi on the west coastline, and Tuticorin on the east coastline, official sources said.

Decision to develop these ports as world-class hubs comes in the wake of setting up of a high-powered steering committee, with members from the tourism ministry and the shipping ministry on the board, to formulate the cruise tourism policy of the country.

Until now, even after the formation of the committee last year, the progress was rather tardy, as the committee in turn formed another "working group" to identify the ports.

"The Ministry of Tourism is ready to extend financial assistance for tourism infrastructure, development of specified tourism projects, including projects related to coastal monuments and tourist spots of different states and the UTs," said an official in the tourism ministry.

The ministry would also extend assistance for procurement of cruise vessels or boats to promote this new tourism initiative, the official said.

However, not many players have expressed interest in cruise tourism yet. So far, only two operators have started plying cruise vessels "" Star Cruises from Mumbai and Goa to Lakshadweep and Indian Ocean Cruise operating from Goa to Lakshadweep via Mangalore, Cochin and Trivandrum.

But international players, who are eyeing Indian peninsula's vast coastline dotted with exotic coastal cities, have begun to show interest.

Royal Caribbean International took delivery of its brand new Freedom-class ship, showcasing wellness, family and wedding programmes on board.

The firm launched cruise-liner 'Liberty' along the world's largest cruise ship with sister ship Freedom of the Seas this month.