The first international cruise ‘Vasco da Gama’ docked at the MPA to mark the start of cruise tourism.
VASCO
With at least 42 cruise ships scheduled to call at the port over the next seven months, the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) has anticipated a robust cruise tourism season.
The port has also been offering various sops to make Goa a preferred destination for cruise ships, since an enhanced cruise activity would provide a significant boost not only to the port but also to the local economy.
Strong start to season
The international cruise season began on a high note on November 16 with the arrival of the first international cruise ship, ‘Vasco Da Gama’, carrying 590 passengers and 416 crew.
Adding to the momentum, the domestic cruise ship Cordelia Empress arrived from Mumbai with 1,300 passengers.
“This is a promising start, and we are looking forward to a robust cruise tourism season,” said Himanshu Shekhar, Traffic Manager at MPA.
Economic impact, benefit to locals
Cruise tourism has a cascading effect and works as a boon on the local economy.
Each ship brings hundreds of tourists, both domestic and international, who explore Goa and contribute to local businesses. Taxi operators, coach owners, and local vendors stand to gain significantly from this influx of tourists.
“The ongoing cruise tourism season is set to provide a significant boost not only to the port but also to the local economy. The arrival of cruise ships brings hundreds of guests from both domestic and international destinations, creating opportunities for local businesses,” said Shekhar.
“Tourists travelling across Goa contribute to the thriving local economy by engaging with vendors, shopping for local goods, and dining at restaurants. Additionally, the influx of visitors offers a golden business opportunity for taxi operators and coach owners, who ferry guests to and from the port, ensuring seamless travel experiences.”
“The positive impact of cruise tourism extends beyond the port, reflecting the broader economic benefits for the entire state.”
MPA sops to attract cruise ships
The MPA is actively working to attract more cruise ships to Goa and enhance the passenger experience.
“The MPA has already started offering various discounts as per government guidelines to ensure maximum number of cruise ships at Goa. As of now, we are applying a minimum charge of only 6 dollars per passenger while there are no more charges applicable for crew members.”
“All other charges applicable like berth hire, port dues, pilotage and passenger fees from the port side are waived off as an initiative to attract cruise ships,” said Shekhar.
“Besides, we are already constructing a new state-of-art international cruise terminal with latest facilities and amenities. This facility aims to provide world-class services to passengers and crew. We are committed to making Goa a preferred destination for cruise ships. These measures are designed to attract more operators and ensure a steady flow of visitors,” explained Shekhar.
Plans for a port of call soon
Efforts are underway to designate Mormugao Port as a home port or port of call. Currently, most international cruise ships only stop for a few hours, limiting tourists’ time to explore Goa.
The State government and Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte have been long pressing for improvement in the cruise tourism and one such initiative planned was to make Goa port as a home port or a port of call.
Several talks and discussions regarding these plans have been held jointly by the State Government, MPA and the union shipping ministry in the past.
MPA Traffic Manager Himanshu Shekhar said if Goa is declared a port of call, it would boost the business manifold.
“International cruise ships arrive at the port in the morning and depart by evening, offering only a few hours stay in the port to its passengers. Making Goa a port of call would allow ships to dock for longer durations, giving passengers more time to explore the State’s attractions. Our plans to make the Goa port as the port of call is on a very advanced stage and we are optimistic that this will become a reality once the new cruise terminal is operational,” said Shekhar.
Expanding domestic cruise circuit
Currently, only one domestic cruise operator, ‘Cordelia Empress’, is serving Mormugao Port.
However, discussions are ongoing to expand the domestic cruise circuit to bring in more passengers and increase new connections to Goa.
“A second operator has expressed interest and we are in talks with them already. The operator has already visited the port to evaluate the facilities and have expressed the plans of having regular calls at this port. They have not given us their final schedule but we are optimistic about finalising new connections soon,” confirmed Shekhar.
