: Mumbai, April 21, 2022
The Mumbai Port Authority is organizing the First Conference of Incredible India International Cruise Conference 2022’on May 14-15, 2022 in Mumbai. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH Shri Sarbananda Sonowal briefed the media about the upcoming First Conference of Incredible India International Cruise Conference 2022 via video conferencing from New Delhi, today. He also launched the event’s website www.iiicc2022.in and unveiled the event logo and mascot named ‘Captain Cruzo’ for the event.
Speaking to media persons, the Union Minister said, “Globally India is gearing up to be a magnificent cruise destination and capture this growing market. Indian cruise market has the potential to grow by ten times over the next decade driven by rising demands and disposable incomes.”
The two-day conference will showcase abundant business opportunities in the country’s cruise tourism sector with an aim to first showcase India as a desired destination for cruise passengers, highlight the regional connectivity, promote building of new destinations and attractions like lighthouses and disseminate information about India’s preparedness for developing the cruise tourism sector.
This conference will be important for promoting cruise tourism in India so that the country can take leadership in this sector globally, he stated. “Cruise tourism is one the most vibrant and fast-growing component of the leisure industry. India did have a promising start in 2017 when the first international cruise stopped in India at the Mumbai port where over 1800 passengers experienced their first international voyage from an Indian port. Since then, cruise tourism in India has increased manifold. In 2017-18, 238 cruise ships called on ports in India with 1.76 lakh passengers. The largest ship ‘Spectrum of the Seas’ visited Mumbai Port in 2019. However, the COVID pandemic and the resulting suspension of business in 2020 caused a major blow to the cruise industry”.
Shri Sonowal said, the iconic sea-cruise terminal coming up at BPX Indira Dock Mumbai International Cruise Terminal is expected to be commissioned by 2024. “It is one of the next step forward”. The terminal will have a capacity of handling 200 ships and a million passengers per annum. The project cost is Rs 490 crores, out of which Rs 303 crores will be incurred by Mumbai Port Authority and the remaining will be borne by private operators. Speaking on the significance of this importance of this conference being held in Mumbai, the Union Minister said, “Being a central place of the maritime sector in the country, this conference will attract more global players”. Operators of river cruise tourism will also participate in the conference, he added. The sector river cruise tourism brings in several hundred thousands of tourists in the country, said the Minister.
Shri Sonowal further said, the Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030, launched in March 2021, in its ten years growth map gives significant emphasis on promoting and development of ocean, coastal and river cruise alongwith lighthouse development. “The plan is estimated to create above two lakh new jobs and meet the expectations of the cruise visitors and the cruise industry and also provide momentum for infrastructure development”
The Conference will also highlight ports like Mumbai, Goa, Kochi, New Mangalore and Lakshwadeep on the west coast and Kolkata, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Andaman ports on the east coast as cruise hubs of the nation. At the same time, the conference will focus on creation of an enabling and conducive environment for the cruise-liners to exchange views with the government authorities in the region. Additional deployment of cruise vessels to India for a long-term basis will be encouraged, with focus on domestic cruise potential of the country, which is estimated to grow upto 40 million by 2042. In this context, generating opportunities for small cruise building business, income generation for tour operators, employment for youth and skill development through institutional frameworks in this sector will be highlighted.
Union Secretary of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Dr. Sanjeev Ranjan, Chairman of IWAI Shri Sanjay Bandopadhyay and Chairpersons of various ports across the country and Chairman of Mumbai Port Authority Shri Rajiv Jalota also participated in the media briefing.
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RT/JPS/SC/PM
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