New Delhi: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, has launched the ‘Cruise Bharat Mission’ to promote the country as a global hub for cruise tourism. The mission aims to double the cruise passenger traffic in the country by 2029, a PIB press release stated.
The Minister was joined by Union Minister of State, Shantanu Thakur, at the launching ceremony of the mission in Mumbai. Shri Sarbananda Sonowal launched the mission from onboard cruise ship ‘Empress’ here today.
The ‘Cruise Bharat Mission’ will be implemented in three phases. The first phase will focus on research, planning, and building cruise alliances with neighboring countries.
Phase 2 of the mission will focus on developing new cruise terminals, marinas, and destinations to attract high-potential cruise locations and circuits. The third phase will focus on integrating all cruise circuits across the Indian Subcontinent. The government has identified several key areas for the development of the cruise sector including infrastructure development, marketing and promotion, and capacity building.
Under the Cruise Bharat Mission, the government will promote the development of sustainable and vibrant cruise infrastructure that will provide employment opportunities to thousands of people including those working in ports, cruise lines, vessel operators, tour operators, and local communities. The mission aims to transform India into a world-class hub for cruise tourism and promote sustainable development. The Cruise Bharat Mission is expected to create over 4 lakh jobs in the revamped cruise sector in India and also contribute to the country’s growth in the blue economy.