New Delhi: The Union cabinet on Thursday approved a policy on cruise shipping.
The policy aims at increasing India’s share of $14 billion (Rs59,780 crore) cruise tourism industry.
“Cruise shipping would showcase India as a major destination of world tourism. It will also generate enormous employment opportunities,” Prithviraj Chavan, minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office, said after a cabinet meeting.
The global cruise shipping industry is growing 12% a year, with a passenger base of 10 million.
India’s share is only 2%.
With the economy expanding, the middle class now possesses increasing disposable income, part of which could go into luxury shipping, the minister added.