India set to cruise in luxury

New Delhi: Swanky super luxury cruises are the next big thing on India's tourism circuit.

The luxury cruise industry is slowly developing and has great potential given the country's vast and extremely beautiful coastline, complete with coral reefs and historical landmarks.

Indian tourism sector could earn more with the growing number of luxury ships and a staggering clientele ready to pay that extra buck for that exhilarating experience.

Currently in its infancy, the cruise tourism has a huge potential, say industry leaders.

"I do feel that, yes, the cruise tourism is definitely on a rise, we have seen our number growing over the years and with ships coming in India, I think that it should open up gates?I would say that it's a kind of new holiday vacation servicing," says senior marketing manager, Star Cruise India, Naresh Rawal.

Star Cruise, which is a leading cruise line in Asia Pacific, recently launched new Superstar Libra sailings from eastern Mumbai to Goa.

Rawal adds that they have devised a special market strategy through which they target practically all sections of Indian society right from the middle class to higher middle class to higher ups.

"We target various segments. We target family segments and others depending on the marketing strategy and the way we expect the strategy to come into play. We have tried to Indianise or get Indian aspects into the ship," says Rawal.

Star Cruise's Superstar Virgo luxury ship has a restaurant, which serves Indian food and vegetarian courses.

The government too is doing its bit to promote cruise development in the country by deciding to upgrade various terminals in the country.

The laws, too, have been eased for the next five years in a move to recognise it as a special segment.

"It has been a fabulous experience. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. In fact all of us were planning to go to Singapore for the same, but we are lucky to get everything here and that saved us from the trouble of travelling all the way. And it is amazing, it's unbelievable, it has to be seen to be believed," says Gurmeet Singh, a tourist on Libra.

According to an estimate, around 50,000 Indians go cruising every year, both in Indian waters and overseas.