The Indian government is focusing on growing the burgeoning cruise tourism sector in the country. For this, it is looking at coastal as well as river cruise tourism through the Cruise Bharat Mission and the Maritime India Vision 2030. By 2029, the government aims to bring cruise passenger traffic in India to 1 million, up from 471,000 in the 2024 fiscal year. 

According to the Indian government, “The cruise market in India has the potential to grow by 800% over the next decade, driven by rising demand and disposable incomes.”

The Indian travel industry concurs. “With 7,500 km of coastline and over 14,000 km of navigable rivers, India is uniquely poised to become a powerhouse in both ocean and river cruise tourism — a dual opportunity that’s largely untapped,” Rajeev Kale, president and country head for holidays at Thomas Cook India told Skift. He added that the company is witnessing a surge in interest for domestic as well as international cruise holidays. “Cruises have emerged as a highly viable travel option for Indian consumers by eliminating the complexities of multiple visas.”

It has also observed an increase in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) segment in relation to cruises. “We are seeing a strong uptake for shorter cruise getaways like our two nights, three days packages for offsite and reward and recognition programs,” he shared. 

Travel company SOTC Travel has been witnessing a similar growth in interest from smaller markets. “We are witnessing a clear and growing appetite for cruise vacations not just from metro cities, but also from aspirational Tier 2 and 3 markets like Hubli, Mangalore, Jaipur, Udaipur, Chandigarh, Nashik, Guwahati, Raipur, and Indore,” SD Nandakumar, president and country head for holidays at SOTC Travel told Skift. He added that Singapore, Malaysia, the Middle East and parts of the Mediterranean are fast emerging as preferred cruise destinations among younger Indian travelers.

In response to the growing demand, earlier this month, Indian cruise line Cordelia Cruises entered into an agreement with Norwegian Cruise Line for the transfer of Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun to Cordelia’s fleet. Through this acquisition, Cordelia is planning to expand its operations to more ports across India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, it said.

River Cruise Tourism to Increase: There is also a focus on river cruise tourism. Under the Cruise Bharat Mission, the number of river cruise passengers is expected to increase to 1.5 million over more than 5,000 kms of operational waterways in India. 

“We are thrilled to see the Indian government making significant investments in improving the nation’s rivers and developing vital infrastructure for their optimal use,” Raj Singh, founder and chairman of river cruising company Antara Cruises told Skift. He also requested the government to consider building large jetties to accommodate river cruising vessels. 

“Additionally, the provision of shore power and other necessary infrastructure will be crucial for offering the highest quality river tourism experience. We believe that the Brahmaputra has the potential to become the next big highlight in the river cruise industry,” Singh said.

Kashmir Terror Attack

After Tuesday’s attack on tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Air India and IndiGo on Wednesday announced they would operate two additional flights from Srinagar to Delhi and Mumbai to ferry tourists. SpiceJet also operated an additional flight on Wednesday. These airlines also announced waivers on rescheduling or cancellation of bookings till April 30. 

On Tuesday, at least 26 tourists were killed following an attack in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam. This was one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the area in recent years. Kashmir is a sensitive region at the center of dispute between India and Pakistan.

Air India Express announced a complete waiver of date change fees and fare difference on rescheduling of flights and offered a full refund on cancellation of bookings. All airlines said they will continue to operate scheduled flights. Online travel agency EaseMyTrip has also allowed free change or cancellation of bookings for travel up to April 30. Cox & Kings has also announced a 100% refund and complete flexibility on all Kashmir travel bookings “with no questions asked.”

The government also announced a special train from Katra to Delhi scheduled to run on Wednesday night.

Tourism bodies have condemned the terrorist attack, while sharing its impact on the growing tourism industry in the sensitive Jammu and Kashmir region. “Such drastic attacks on innocent tourists will have a very negative impact on both domestic tourism to a very large extent and international tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, although international tourist arrivals are less due to advisories issued by various countries,” said Rajiv Mehra, president of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). He added that currently, there is no confirmation on whether there have been cancellations in bookings to the region.

Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality said that the attack is also likely to impact the residents who depend on tourism such as houseboat owners, hoteliers, local guides, and artisans. The association said that there could be some cancellations in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

Hotel Boom Expands into Untapped Indian Markets

The Indian hotel industry has expanded into cities like Amritsar, Udaipur, Pune, Jammu, Guwahati, Jim Corbett, and Ayodhya where the demand was surging. Now, it is looking at new unexplored destinations such as Siliguri, Gangtok, Barnala, Chail, Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep, Skift reported.

Recently, IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a Holiday Inn Express in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur due to its proximity to the National Highway 9, even as the city has no significant presence of branded keys. Sarovar Hotels is also looking at the expanding highway network in India to grow its portfolio.

Lemon Tree Hotels has signed a hotel in Siliguri, while Hilton signed its first DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Siliguri. Taj-parent Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has signed a Gateway property in Barnala in Punjab, and one in the industrial hub and port city of Kandla in Gujarat.

Even as hotel companies are investing in these unexplored cities, the properties have very few keys. But each has dedicated facilities for events.

Campbell Wilson to Step Down as Chairman of Air India Express

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson is set to step down as the chairperson of the airline’s low-cost subsidiary Air India Express. He will be replaced by Air India’s chief commercial officer Nipun Aggarwal.

Air India’s chief operating officer Basil Kwauk will replace Wilson on the board of Air India Express. Aggarwal and Kwauk will continue to hold their current positions. 

The shuffle is a part of the company’s restructuring as Tata Group aims to revamp the airlines. 

Air India and its low-cost arm Air India Express are undergoing a transformation since the Tata Group acquired it from the Indian government in 2022. As part of this exercise, the airlines are getting fleet upgrades, a restructured loyalty program, and leadership changes, especially after the merger of Vistara with Air India last year. 

ITC Hotels Signed 14 Fortune Hotels in Fiscal Year 2025

The ITC Hotels group company Fortune Hotels signed 14 new properties in the 2024-25 financial year. These signings are in Goa, Kolkata, Chennai, Rishikesh, Indore, Bhimtal, Mukteshwar, Gorakhpur, Mohali, Surat and Ayodhya. 

During the year, seven new properties under Fortune were also opened, in Puri, Palampur, Ekta Nagar, and its first international hotel in Nepal’s Bhaktapur. By the end of March this year, the Fortune brand had 56 operational hotels and 22 others in the pipeline. 

India, Saudi Arabia Strengthen Tourism Ties

India and Saudi Arabia will be looking at capacity building, knowledge exchange, and sustainable tourism practices to deepen the tourism ties.

This was discussed during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. 

India and Saudi Arabia will also look at the growing potential for cooperation in media, entertainment, and sports, stating that these are sectors supported by strong cultural and people-to-people connections between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia is aiming to attract 7.5 million Indian tourists annually by 2030. Last September, the Kingdom launched its first-ever marketing campaign targeted exclusively at Indian tourists: “Shaandaar (Spectacular) Saudi.” The campaign focused on highlighting Saudi Arabia as a year-round destination for Indian families, culture enthusiasts, adventurers, and food lovers.

Cygnett Opens Cozzet Mahad in Maharashtra

Cygnett Hotels and Resorts has announced the opening of Cozzet Mahad in Maharashtra. The property will look to cater to business and leisure travelers. As part of the first phase, the property currently has 55 rooms, and plans to add another 55 keys in the second phase. 

Currently, Cygnett has a total of 50 hotels in its operational and developmental portfolio consisting of over 3,500 keys. As part of its expansion plan, the company is looking to add 1,000 keys minimum every year over the next five years to reach a portfolio of over 100 hotels with 9,000 rooms by 2029.