Lok Sabha Question No. 3906 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-19
Subject: Cruise Tourism
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: POONAM  MAHAJAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3906 ANSWERED ON 19.03.2018

## CRUISE TOURISM

## 3906. SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to make/develop prominent ports of the country as cruise ports to exploit cruise tourism potential in the country and if so, the details thereof and the progress made in this regard so far;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  approved  the  Cruise  Shipping Policy to promote  India as an attractive cruise tourism destination;
- (c) if  so,  the  salient  features  of  the  policy  along  with  the  funds spent by the Government for implementing the Cruise Shipping Policy since its inception, year-wise;
- (d) the  locations  identified  for  promoting  cruise  tourism  in  the country, State/UT-wise; and
- (e) whether the Policy has been effective in significantly scaling up cruise tourism in the country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI K.J. ALPHONS)

(a): Yes,  Madam.  The  Ministry  of  Tourism  has  recognised  Cruise Tourism, as a 'Niche' tourism product in order to promote India as a 365 days' destination and attract tourists with specific interest. The steps taken to promote Cruise Tourism include developing appropriate infrastructure at ports  for  handling  cruise  vessels  and facilitating ease of movement of passengers.

(b) & (c): A Cruise Shipping Policy was announced in 2008 by the Ministry of Shipping to promote India as an attractive cruise tourism destination.    The  important  features  of  the  policy  are  to  develop India as destination as well as source market for cruise tourism; to increase the number of cruise shipping calls and passenger arrivals; to  popularize  cruise  shipping  among  Indian  tourists;  to  provide simplified immigration process for foreign cruise tourists; to provide easy Customs clearance and to have a conducive fiscal regime for cruise  ships  through  development  of  cruise  terminals  and  related infrastructure.      Various  steps  have  been  taken  to  implement  the initiatives  envisaged  in  the  Cruise  Shipping  Policy,  2008.  A  Task Force on Cruise Tourism has been formed jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Shipping with representatives of all major stakeholders.  The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned projects for the  development of  Cruise  Terminals  and  related  infrastructure  at the  major  ports  as  part  of  its  scheme  of  Assistance  to  Central Agencies. Details of the projects are given in Annexure. (d): The five major ports of the country namely Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT),  Mormugao  Port  Trust  (MoPT),  New  Mangalore  Port  Trust (NMPT),  Cochin  Port  Trust  (CoPT)  and  Chennai  Port  Trust  (ChPT) have been developed to attract cruise ships with dedicated terminals  and  other  related  infrastructure  for  berthing  of  cruise vessels and embarking and disembarking of cruise passengers. (e): There has been a steady increase in the number of ships and cruise passengers calling on Indian ports over the past few years. The Ministry of Shipping informs that as against 55 cruise ship calls in the year 2003-04, the number of cruise ship calls increased to 166 in the year 2016-17. Further, the number of cruise passengers  also increased from 28,000 in the year 2003-04 to 1,91,835 passengers in the year 2016-17.

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ANNEXURE

STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (b)  &  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3906 ANSWERED 19.03.2018 REGARDING CRUISE TOURISM.

PROJECTS SANCTIONED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF CRUISE TERMINAL/UP-GRADATION  OF  BERTH  UNDER  ASSISTANCE  TO CENTRAL AGENCIES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

## (Rs. In Lakh)

|   Sl. No. | State       | Name of the project                                                                 |   Sanctioned amount |   Amount released |
|-----------|-------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
|         1 | Goa         | Cruise terminal building at Mormugao Port, Goa                                      |              879.04 |           767.187 |
|         2 | Tamil Nadu  | Cruise terminal building at Chennai port , Chennai                                  |             1724.66 |          1724.66  |
|         3 | Maharashtra | Upgradation / modernization at International Cruise Terminal at Indira Dock, Mumbai |             1250    |           500     |
|         4 | Kerala      | Upgradation of berths and backup area of Ernakulam wharf, Kerala                    |             2141    |           433.06  |
|         5 | Kerala      | Development of dedicated cruise berthing facilities at Cochin Port                  |             2243.32 |          2138.92  |

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