Cruise policy next month, India to attract 700 vessels: Gadkari

A cruise tourism policy is in the making and will be announced next month, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday, with an aim to tap India's vast potential on this front and attract more vessels.

The country draws nearly 70 cruise vessels a year, which is expected to go up to 700 with this initiative.

"Cruise tourism can be India's economic growth engine as there is a vast untapped potential. In a month, the policy will be ready as a joint working group comprising shipping and tourism secretaries is working on it," Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said.

Speaking to reporters here after chairing a workshop on development of cruise tourism, Gadkari said the action plan will be finalised in the next three months that includes key steps on par with international standards, simplification of procedures, easy immigration and ways to make India a global hotspot.

Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma was present.

At present, Gadkari said, India attracts 70 cruise vessels which can go up to 700 and a slew of steps are on to boost infrastructure that include building cruise terminals at five major ports -- Mumbai, Goa, New Mangalore, Chennai and Cochin.

India, with a 7,500 km of coastline, has taken some key steps to promote cruise that includes relaxation of policies and roping in global consultants. The idea is to put India on the global cruise map -- both for oceans and rivers -- which is seen to create about 2.5 lakh jobs and boost growth.

India saw 1.76 lakh cruise passengers in 2016-17, a merely 0.5 per cent of the global pie. Domestic cruise passengers are estimated to grow to 1.5 million by 2031-32. Of the 12 major ports, only five -- Mumbai, Goa, Cochin, New Mangalore and Chennai -- have facilities to berth international cruise ships.