Sonowal inaugurated the first two-day India International Cruise Conference being organized here by the Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways in association with industry body FICCI. On this occasion, he along with his Minister of State Shripad Naik laid the foundation stone of third chemical berth at Peer Pau jetty and virtual inaugurated Kelshi Lighthouse in Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra and Dhanush Kodi Light House in Tamil Nadu.
Sonowal told reporters on the sidelines of the event that the government aims to make India the most attractive cruise tourism destination and the industry as the world’s largest tourist destination. He said that for this a task force has been constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Secretary, Ministry of Shipping has been made the Vice-Chairman.
He said that the high-level committee would help the workforce through its ideas and suggestions. “I announce the formation of a high-level committee consisting of government officials and players from national and international industry. It will assist the workforce and give it their views and suggestions.
Sonowal said that the objective of this international conference is to make India a cruise tourism hub and the government will provide necessary modern infrastructure to achieve this goal.
He expressed hope that the state governments would also play their part in promoting the cruise tourism industry. He said, “India is going to be the most attractive destination for cruise tourism. There is no doubt about it as our potential is bound to be explored in the coastal areas and inland waterways. So far it has not been exploited.”
India aims to increase the cruise passenger traffic from the current level of 4 lakhs to 40 lakhs. According to an official release, the cruise tourism industry is expected to grow from $110 million to $5.5 billion in the coming years.
Source: navbharattimes.indiatimes.com
: Language Inputs
This post is sourced from newspapers, magazines and third-party websites. For more information please check NewsDay Express Disclaimer.