Sea Tourism

The Government of India has approved the Cruise Shipping Policy in June 2008. Some salient features of this policy include conducive fiscal regime, development of facilities at Ports and connectivity through rail, road transport, air and metro, quick completion of immigration formalities, hassle free custom clearance and proper waste disposal system ensuring cleaner ocean. An Inter Ministerial Steering Committee with Secretary (Shipping) as Chairman was constituted in June, 2010 to address issues relating to development of cruise shipping.

The Steering Committee on Cruise Tourism has identified the ports of Chennai, Cochin, New Mangalore, Mormugao and Mumbai for development of Cruise Tourism.

Development and promotion of Tourism including Sea, Cruise and Coastal Tourism is primarily undertaken by the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations themselves. The Ministry of Tourism extends Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations for project proposals under the scheme of Product/ Infrastructure Development for Destinations & Circuits, subject to availability of funds and inter-se priority.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Tourism, Shri Sultan Ahmed in a written reply to Shri Baliram Jadhav in Lok Sabha