India Wants 1 Million Cruise Tourists by 2029
Photo Credit: A houseboat cruising in Kerala's backwaters. Pexels / Benhur Emmanuel
Skift Take
Cruise tourism in India has long had a loyal following, but it’s the growing integration with the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) segment that’s giving it an extra push.
The Indian government is focusing on growing the burgeoning cruise tourism sector in the country. For this, it is looking at coastal as well as river cruise tourism through the Cruise Bharat Mission and the Maritime India Vision 2030. By 2029, the government aims to bring cruise passenger traffic in India to 1 million, up from 471,000 in the 2024 fiscal year.
According to the Indian government, “The cruise market in India has the potential to grow by 800% over the next decade, driven by rising demand and disposable incomes.”
The Indian travel industry concurs. “With 7,500 km of coastline and over 14,000 km of navigable rivers, India is uniquely poised to become a powerhouse in both ocean and river cruise tourism — a dual opportunity that’s largely untapped,” Rajeev Kale, president and country head for holidays at Thomas Cook India told Skift. He added that the company is witnessing a surge in interest for domestic as well as international cruise ho
