Bengaluru, 31 July

Karnataka's Department of Tourism has initiated consultations with a leading tourism operator to explore the feasibility of launching cruise services from Mangaluru, officials said on Friday.

Waterways Leisure Tourism Limited, one of India's leading cruise operators and the parent company of Cordelia Cruises, agreed in principle to commence cruise services from Mangaluru, the state's Tourism Secretary V Ram Prasath Manohar said.

The move was initiated by Karnataka Tourism Minister KJ George, he said.

According to a statement, senior officials from the Department of Tourism, led by its secretary, held detailed discussions with Jurgen Bailom, President & CEO, and Bharat Acharya, Associate Director, Port Operations, of Waterways Leisure Tourism Limited.

During the discussions, the company highlighted the need for an assessment of the tourism market, visitor demand and commercial viability of the Mangaluru coastal region, so they suggested preparing a promotional strategy to position Mangaluru as a prominent cruise tourism destination, officials said.

Meanwhile, as part of the State government's efforts to strengthen cruise tourism infrastructure, a team from the Department of Tourism recently visited the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal to study its operational framework.

Based on the observations, the tourism secretary has directed department officials to undertake a preliminary feasibility study on the development of an international-standard cruise terminal in Mangaluru.

"This initiative will not only strengthen coastal tourism but also generate employment opportunities and attract investments to the region," he added.