The cruise tourism industry in the country is set to witness an over three-fold rise by 2010 as number of domestic and international passengers at Indian ports is expected to increase to 600,000 a year by 2010 from the current 180,000. Besides, number of domestic and international cruise liners entering Indian ports is also growing as the country is emerging as a major destination for cruise tourism, says a study, Developing Ports as Cruise Tourism Hubs in India, by FICCI-Evalueserve.
In 2007-2008, about 54 cruise companies including international players have sought permission to enter the circuit in India, the study said. If the government focuses on developing physical infrastructure, streamlining immigration and custom checks processes and takes recourse to viability gap funding in building infrastructure, the country’s tourism industry could see a three-fold increase in the domestic and international cruise passengers.
The study also suggested that the prime area of focus in future should be on developing the necessary infrastructure at the Indian ports. In addition, the allied infrastructure, such as ensuring good connectivity of the port, availability of basic amenities is also essential, moreover, the consumer trend shows that the number of Indians opting for international cruises is increasing. The number of outbound travelers, who are visiting South-East Asia and the Far-East, is also rising.
Poor infrastructure of the ports, low return on investment from the cruise business and lack of intensive promotional activities are the major growth inhibitors for the Indian cruise tourism sector, the study said.
The study also points out that exotic tourist locales, strong port connectivity, government support are the key growth drivers that are likely to promote the country as an attractive cruise destination.
