Context:
Cruise operators commence at Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, India’s largest
Cruise Bharat Mission:
- Objective –
- Enhance India’s position as a global hub for cruise tourism and establish the country as a leading cruise destination globally.
- Aims to double cruise passenger traffic within 5 years, i.e., by 2029.
- Plans to increase the number of cruise calls from 254 (2024) to 500 by 2030.
- Implementation – The mission will be executed in 3 phases, spanning from 2024 to 2029.
- Key Cruise Segments –
- Ocean & Harbour Cruises
- River & Inland Cruises
- Island Cruises
Other initiatives boosting Cruise Tourism:
- Maritime India Vision 2030 – Focuses on making India a prominent player in the global cruise tourism market.
- River Cruise Tourism – Promoted actively by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
- Includes iconic cruises along rivers like the Ganga and Brahmaputra, as well as houseboats in the backwaters of Alappuzha, Kerala.
- Example: MV Ganga Vilas
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
Recently, which of the following States has explored the possibility of constructing an artificial inland port to be connected to sea by a long navigational channel?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2016 Prelims]
(a) Andhra Pradesh
(b) Chhattisgarh
(c) Karnataka
(d) Rajasthan
Answer: (d)