After success in the domestic waters, Cordelia is looking at expanding internationally. It has received permission to start operations to Sri Lanka and UAE, among others. First cruises are scheduled from Mumbai, mid-June onwards. Bookings have already begun.
According to Jurgen Bailom, President and CEO of Waterways Leisure Tourism, which operates cruises under the ‘Cordelia Cruises’ brand, sailings start from June 17 and will cover Middle Eastern ports like Musat, Khor Fakkan, Dubai, Sir Bani Yas Island, Bahrain, Doha and Abu Dhabi. “Our first voyage to Dubai received good response and it is evident that there are enough booking queries which can lead to full occupancy. We have received more than 5,000 inquiries in total,” he told businessline. Besides this, the cruise company will introduce new packages to Sri Lanka as well.
Cordelia has recorded over 200 sailings in the span of two years with passenger count exceeding 4,00,000. “We aspire to make India a global leader in cruise tourism. Our new itineraries and destinations are not just a celebration but it’s a testament to the limitless possibilities that lie ahead,” he added.
Healthy growth
According to Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head — Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) —initial surge (post launch of Cordelia) saw sustained momentum of 100 per cent month-on-month during the year. “With reopening of international borders and removal of travel protocols, sales numbers continue to reflect a healthy growth of 20 per cent y-o-y for Cordelia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Indian cruises MV Ganga Vilas and other river cruises here like Costa, have spurred global cruise majors to look into the country. International biggies like MSC Cruises (which specialises in cruises on the Mediterranean Sea) and Royal Caribbean (another international cruise major with operations in Singapore, Thailand, and elsewhere) are eyeing an entry here.
India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has also announced an investment of ₹45,000 crore towards setting up of dedicated cruise infrastructure, including jetties, terminals, etc. Indian cruises are also said to be exploring travel along India-Bangladesh protocol routes (waterways).
The global river cruises market is projected to have a revenue of around $ 1.71 billion by 2032, up from $1.45 billion in 2022 with a CAGR of 2 per cent during 2022 to 2032. India’s Tourism Ministry expects the cruise tourism market to be valued at ₹35,500 crore by 2041 with a passenger count of 4 million.