Cruise Tourism Strategy
The Ministry of Tourism has drafted a National Strategy for the development of Cruise Tourism in the country, with the aim of positioning India as a preferred destination for cruise tourism globally. The strategy document identifies various strategic pillars for infrastructure and circuit enablement, market development, ease of doing business, integrated tourism around cruise terminals, facilitating and promoting investment in cruise tourism and skill development for cruise tourism.
The Ministry of Tourism also provides financial assistance to the State Governments/UT Administrations and Central Government Agencies for development of tourism including Cruise Tourism and Cruising along rivers, under the scheme for ‘Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure development’. Out of the total Rs 60,000 crore investment, Rs 10,000 crore will be allocated for this scheme.
Global Maritime India Summit
The Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS), 2023, one of the biggest maritime summits in the world, recorded major investment of ₹2.37 lakh crores on the second day of the three day summit held in Mumbai. As many as 70 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) were signed in the various industries of maritime sector such as Port Development and modernisation, green hydrogen & ammonia, port led development, business & commerce, ship building, knowledge sharing & Port connectivity during the day.
The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal, said that GMIS has ushered a new age in sustainable development of the country with a record number of 70 MoUs with an investment of ₹2.37 lakh crores. He said that the maritime sector is playing an instrumental role as it has paved the way for India set sail towards Green Sustainability Transportation. He added that Rs 20,000 crore will be invested in port development and modernisation, Rs 15,000 crore in green hydrogen and ammonia production and use, Rs 5,000 crore in port led development and Rs 10,000 crore in ship building.
River Linking Project
The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal, also announced that the government is looking for funding for Rs 60,000 crore river linking project that envisages linking Ken river in Madhya Pradesh with Betwa in Uttar Pradesh. He said that the project will help in irrigation, transportation and water supply in both the states.
He said that the project will also boost river cruise tourism as it will create a waterway of about 1,000 km. He said that the government is planning to develop green vessels that will run on electricity or LNG to reduce pollution and carbon footprint. He said that Rs 25,000 crore will be spent on river linking project and Rs 5,000 crore on green vessel development.
The Impact on the Economy
The development of cruise tourism is expected to stimulate demand for hospitality, restaurants, transportation, and shopping, leading to secondary employment opportunities3. Despite the competitive advantages, the cruise tourism market is currently underutilized, representing only around 1% of the global market.
Conclusion
The government’s planned investment in river cruise tourism and green vessel development represents a significant step towards leveraging India’s vast coastline and waterways for economic growth and sustainability. As the plans unfold, it will be interesting to see the impact on India’s tourism sector and the country’s move towards greener practices.