“Cordelia Cruises plans to infuse in excess of USD 1 billion by 2025 to acquire at least three cruise ships as it aims to target the domestic market, which has world’s third-largest coastline of 7,500 km.”
Jurgen Bailom, Waterways Leisure Tourism CEO
India-focused Cordelia Cruises, owned by Waterways Leisure Tourism, an arm of Dream Hotel Group, controlled by the Indian American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, is keen to pump in up to USD 1.5-2 billion to meet the growing appetite for cruising by Indians over the next few years.
Cordelia Cruises plans to infuse in excess of USD 1 billion by 2025 to acquire at least three cruise ships as it aims to target the domestic market, which has world’s third-largest coastline of 7,500 km, Waterways Leisure Tourism CEO Jurgen Bailom told PTI.
Kolkata Port, known as Syama Prasad Port Kolkata, Chairman, Vinit Kumar has invited cruise liners to explore Kolkata. The port has plans to develop a cruise terminal
“India will do extremely well in the cruise sector. I am confident that in the next 5-7 years India will be one of the top five cruise destinations of the world, similar to China five years ago. We have aggressive expansion plans. We want to add at least three cruise vessels by 2025 that could cost over USD 1 billion,” Bailom said.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal recently said that the Indian cruise market had the potential to grow 10-fold over the next decade, driven by rising demand and disposable incomes. “We are a proud Indian company and will remain focused on domestic guests. After the Covid lockdown, since last September and now, we already had 1.15-1.18 lakh guests which is a good response,” Bailom said.
India aims to increase cruise passenger traffic from 0.4 million at present to 4 million. Economic potential of Cruise tourism is expected to go up from USD 110 million to USD 5.5 billion in the years to come.
Bailom noted that though ports were good but the access for 1,500-2000 guests to board and disembark was not good and needed an urgent correction. “We have submitted a white paper suggesting some measures including a five-year tax break that will boost the industry to expand the way the government aims,” Bailom who is one of the key experts of the sector in India said in the virtual interaction with PTI.
Bailom said the company is looking forward to connecting Kolkata as a destination in their East-coverage plan. Cordelia was till recently ferrying within West coasts, is now chartering into East coasts touching Visakhapatnam and Chennai.
Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Santanu Thakur said that the government would support the cruise industry to grow and cruise liners were welcome to touch new states. “We want a holistic experience for guests blended with the ‘culture’ of the respective state when guests arrive at any destination,” Thakur told PTI.
Kolkata Port, known as Syama Prasad Port Kolkata, Chairman, Vinit Kumar has invited cruise liners to explore Kolkata. The port has plans to develop a cruise terminal.
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