MUMBAI, April 21 (Xinhua) -- India's financial capital Mumbai will host the country's first international cruise conference on May 14-15, Indian Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Thursday.
Indian cruise market has the potential to grow 10 fold over the next decade, driven by rising demand and disposable incomes, said Sonowal.
In 2019, India received over 400 cruise vessels and 400,000 cruise passengers.
"The conference on international cruise tourism aims to showcase India as a desired destination for cruise passengers, highlight regional connectivity, and disseminate information about India's preparedness for developing the cruise tourism sector," said the minister.
The two-day conference will witness participation from stakeholders, including international and Indian cruise lines operators, investors, global cruise consultants and experts, senior government officials, river cruise operators, tour operators, and travel agents. ■