Ganga Vilas – India’s Step for Increased Engagement in Cruise Tourism

The cruise tourism sector around the world has seen enormous growth in the past decade. Not only that, but many countries are also entering this industry. One of these countries is India. Soon the nation has been launching its longest cruise tourism with Ganga Vilas. 

But how will this river cruise tourism in India elevate the nation’s economy? There are many aspects that the Government has revealed about this cruise tourism initiative in the country. The Indian river cruise tourism has high potential which will be carried out with the Ganga Vilas cruise, named the World’s longest river cruise. This cruise will run from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Dibrugarh in Assam.

In this blog, Square Yards will take you to the different aspects of river cruise tourism in India and worldwide. This blog also talks about the Ganga Vilas ticket prices, booking steps, and more. 

Introduction to Ganga Vilas Cruise

The MV Ganga Vilas is a cruise launched to bring out the best of the country and boost its tourism sector. This new cruise is 62 metres long, and 12 metres wide, along with a sail of 1.4 metres. The cruise has 18 suites with a maximum of 36 passengers at a time. The Ganga Vilas cruise has all the facilities and conveniences needed for a comfortable and luxurious sail.  

The Ganga Vilas Cruise will set its journey from Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi. The maiden voyage of this cruise has 32 tourists from Switzerland who will be sailing to the east of India to Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh. On January 13th, 2023, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi flagged the sail for the cruise from Varanasi. The tourists will explore the beauty of India and its rich culture and heritage on their way and are expected to reach Dibrugarh by March 1, 2023.  

Ganga Vilas Cruise Ticket Prices

The Ganga Vilas cruise ticket prices are high, and it appro[riate according to the conveniences and time it takes to complete the journey. The cost of one day sail ranges between INR 25,000 to INR 50,000. The entire trip will cost around INR 20 lakh for one passenger. The cost is high due to the facilities and luxurious ambience with the capacity of only 36 passengers. 

How to Book Ganga Vilas Cruise?

To book Ganga River Cruise tickets, simply visit the official portal of Antara Luxury River Cruises to book the tickets.

Key Highlights of Ganga Vilas

The Ganga Vilas is the world’s longest river cruise. Being one of a kind, this cruise has some surprising facts and highlights that you must know about. Here are a few key highlights of the longest cruise in India:

• It will run between Varanasi to Dibrugarh.
• It is going to cover a distance of 3,200 kilometres.
• The cruise will take 51 days to cover the distance.
• The Ganga Vilas cruise aimed to show the natural beauty, heritage and culture of India through its pathway. 
• It is the world’s longest cruise covering such a long distance. 
• The 51 days of cruise tourism will cover around 50 heritage and cultural sites in India.

Global River Cruise Tourism

The worldwide cruise tourism market is expected to be from $5.3 billion in 2022 to about $17.4 billion by 2031. Currently, the global cruise tourism market has grown by about 5% and is set to increase its growth by 37% by 2027. Around 60% growth of the river cruise vessel market is drawn and held by Europe. The CAGR advancement is expected to be increased by 11.97% during this forecasted time frame. 

Before the pandemic, according to many researchers, cruise tourism was at its all-time high. It accommodated about 29.7 million passengers worldwide. This huge involvement and demand for cruises generated jobs for around 1.8 million people around the globe. The number of cruise tourists by 2019 gave about $150 billion to the world’s economy. 

The cruise tourism sector is a swiftly growing industry of travelling with many new cruises coming forward to offer a whole new experience in 2023, like the Ganga Vilas in India. The themes, amenities, exclusivity and other factors are set to increase the demand for cruise tourism by 2032 with high turnovers contributing towards the world’s economy.      

What is the Market for River Cruise Tourism in India?

India has already been into cruise tourism for more than a decade, but the new Ganga Vilas cruise will take it to higher levels. Currently, there are eight operational cruise vessels in India running between Kolkata in West Bengal and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The cruise movement in India is also functional on the Brahmaputra Waterway, also known as National Waterways 2.

At the present time, the construction of 10 cruise terminals on the National Waterway 2 is going on to bolster the growth and demand of cruise tourism. The Indian Government aims to increase river cruise tourism in India from 0.4 million people to 4 million people in the next few years. The economic contribution of this tourism is also likely to increase from $110 million to $5.5 billion in the upcoming years. 

To elevate the demand and development of cruises in the country, the government has constructed 100 national waterways that would see the movement of world-class sails alongside cargo ships. Currently, 12 projects related to the cruise tourism infrastructure improvement construction of about INR 1,098 crores are already underway. To divert attention to cruise tourism in India, allied facility infrastructure is being constructed for the country’s major ports.  

Ganga Vilas Inland Waterway Projects

In West Bengal, the Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal will be opened by the prime minister. The Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal, built as part of the Jal Marg Vikas Project, has a cargo handling capacity of around 3 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA), and the berths are made to accommodate boats up to over 3000 Deadweight Tonnage (DWT).

In addition, the Prime Minister opened four floating community jetties in Uttar Pradesh at Saidpur, Chochakpur, and Zamania in the Ghazipur district and at Kanspur in the Ballia district. In addition, the Prime Minister laid the cornerstones for the five Community Jetties in the Bihar districts of Digha, Nakta Diyara, Barh, Panapur, and Hasanpur. To increase the economic activity and standard of living of the local people in the area, more than 60 community jetties are being built along the Ganga in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. By offering straightforward logistical solutions to small farmers, fishery units, unorganised farm-producing units, horticulturists, florists, and artisans who concentrate on economic activities in and around the Ganga River’s hinterland, community jetties will play a significant role in improving people’s quality of life.

The Maritime Skill Development Center for the North East was opened in Guwahati by the prime minister as well. Better job possibilities will be available in the expanding logistics sector, and it will assist in developing the vast talent pool in the North Eastern area.

At Pandu Terminal in Guwahati, the Prime Minister also laid the cornerstone for a ship repair facility and an elevated road. As it takes more than a month to convey a ship to and from the Kolkata Repair facility, the Ship Repair facility at the Pandu Terminal will save a lot of time. Additionally, it will result in significant financial savings because the ship’s transportation costs would be reduced. The Pandu Terminal will have 24-hour connectivity because of the dedicated road linking it to National Highway (NH) 27. 

Wrapping Up

Hop onto the luxurious cruise ride with Ganga Vilas and feel and witness the richness of Indian culture. The following cruise booking for Ganga Vilas will begin soon after the first voyage ends in march. Until then, be on your toes and watch its tickets. 

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