Sailing Towards 2047: Government’s Mega Investment in River Cruising and Green Vessel Development

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.

Share:

MORE STORIES

## Navigating the AI Revolution: 5 Trending Google Ads Topics for Marketers As Google Ads continues its rapid evolution, staying ahead of the curve is paramount for digital marketers. The platform’s increasing reliance on artificial intelligence, shifting privacy landscapes, and the introduction of new campaign types are creating a fresh set of challenges and opportunities. Here are five top trending blog topics that delve into the most critical areas of Google Ads today. ### 1. The Rise of the Machines: Mastering AI-Powered Campaign Types Google is unequivocally betting on AI to drive the future of its advertising platform. A key area of focus for marketers is understanding and mastering AI-driven campaign types like Performance Max and Demand Gen. These campaigns automate targeting, bidding, and ad creation across Google’s entire inventory. A deep dive into strategies for providing the right inputs to these “black box” models, interpreting their performance, and understanding how to guide the AI for optimal results is a crucial topic for advertisers looking to succeed in this new era. ### 2. Beyond the Click: Navigating the New Landscape of Measurement and Attribution With the impending deprecation of third-party cookies and a growing emphasis on user privacy, the way advertisers measure success is undergoing a fundamental shift. This has propelled topics like enhanced conversions, consent mode, and the integration of first-party data to the forefront. Marketers are actively seeking guidance on how to implement these privacy-centric measurement solutions to gain a more accurate and holistic view of their campaign performance in a world without granular user tracking. ### 3. Creative is the New Targeting: Leveraging AI for Compelling Ad Experiences In an automated world, the creative has become a key differentiator. Google is investing heavily in AI-powered tools that can generate and optimize ad copy, images, and videos. Blog posts that explore how to effectively use these generative AI features to create a high volume of diverse and engaging ad creatives are gaining significant traction. This includes best practices for providing creative inputs, A/B testing AI-generated assets, and ensuring brand consistency across automated campaigns. ### 4. The Evolution of Search: Adapting to a More Conversational and Visual SERP The traditional keyword-based search is evolving. Users are increasingly employing longer, more conversational queries, and Google is responding with a more visual and AI-driven search engine results page (SERP). This shift requires a re-evaluation of traditional keyword research and bidding strategies. Trending discussions revolve around how to adapt to this new reality, including the role of broad match keywords, the importance of high-quality creative in visual search formats, and strategies for capturing intent in a more conversational search landscape. ### 5. Future-Proofing Your Strategy: The Growing Importance of a Full-Funnel Approach As automation takes over many of the manual levers within Google Ads, the focus is shifting towards a more strategic, full-funnel marketing approach. Advertisers are looking for insights on how to effectively use different Google Ads campaign types to guide users through the entire customer journey, from initial awareness to final conversion and retention. This includes discussions on how to structure campaigns to complement each other, allocate budgets across the funnel, and measure the impact of upper-funnel activities on bottom-line results.

Google Ads is in the midst of a quiet revolution—one driven by artificial intelligence, privacy-first regulations, and a rapidly changing search landscape. For digital marketers,

Send Us A Message