Mumbai: In a momentous event, India’s Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal, flagged off the first international cruise liner to embark on a domestic voyage from Mumbai today. The maiden voyage of the vessel, Costa Serena, marks a significant step towards achieving India’s goal of hosting 5 million cruise passengers by 2047.
Speaking on this occasion, Sarbananda Sonowal stated, “The launch of Costa Cruises’ domestic sailings in India is a momentous occasion that signifies the dawn of a new era in cruising and tourism. This initiative has been driven by the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ campaign, as envisioned by our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.”
India has intensified its focus on the cruise sector, with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) actively promoting cruise tourism for its vast economic impact, job creation potential, foreign exchange earnings, and more. A key focus area is the development of cruise destinations at coastal and island tourist spots.
The launch of Costa Cruises’ domestic sailings became possible through a series of government initiatives aimed at promoting and revitalizing the cruise tourism industry in India. These measures include guaranteed berths for cruise ships, the removal of ousting charges, concessional uniform single rates for all major ports, volume discounts in cruise tariffs of up to 30% for domestic cruise ships, waiver of cabotage for foreign cruise vessels, and the establishment of uniform standard operating procedures for Customs, Immigration, CISF, Ports, as well as the upgrade and modernization of cruise terminals with enhanced passenger facilities.
A significant step in this journey was the conditional IGST exemption for foreign flag foreign-going vessels when converting to coastal runs, reducing the financial burden on foreign cruise operators.
As a result of these initiatives, the cruise industry has witnessed remarkable growth, with a 223% increase in cruise calls and a 461% increase in cruise passengers over the last nine years. River cruise tourism has also seen a 180% rise in operations during the same period.
An increasing number of international cruise liners are expressing interest in the Indian cruising industry, with numerous new services in the pipeline, promising a vibrant future for this burgeoning sector.
Under the flagship Sagarmala Programme, cruise tourism and lighthouse tourism development are actively considered. Several projects have been identified in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and tourism development departments of maritime state governments to promote tourism in maritime states. Over the last nine years, the Sagarmala Programme has completed 11 projects worth Rs. 267 crores, promoting coastal and cruise tourism and island development. Some of these projects include the Cruise Passenger Facilitation Centre in Chennai, the International Cruise Terminal construction in Cochin, and the development of Cruise Berthing and Cruise Passenger facilities at Mormugao Port.
The government’s Maritime India Vision 2030 envisions India as the premier cruise hub in the Asia Pacific region. To achieve this, steps are being taken, including the development of state-of-the-art cruise terminals, standardized procedures, and the introduction of e-visa facilities. The goal is to increase the annual number of cruise passengers in India to 18 lakhs by 2030, up from the current figure of 4.72 lakhs.
As part of the Maritime Amritkaal Vision 2047, it is projected that India will have 25 operational cruise terminals by 2047, with an estimated annual passenger count of approximately 5 million cruise passengers per year. The government also plans to launch a comprehensive cruise tourism policy in line with international standards and practices, encompassing critical aspects such as GST, taxation, excise, and custom duties, at both the central and state levels, to foster the growth of this emerging industry within India.