A few right moves may see the city experiencing cruise tourism in the near future. With positive signals from Visakhapatnam Port Trust, Immigration, and Tourism officials, tour operators are tasked with finding interested cruise operators in the next two months. For now, the focus is on domestic tourists.
Extension of the slipway near the fishing harbour to 80 metres will be completed in time for International Fleet Review so that speed boats and yachts can come there.
At a meeting organised by the Vizag Development Council on Tuesday, MP K. Haribabu said that during a shipping meeting at Mangalore he was surprised to learn that 21 foreign ships had come and more than 15,000 tourists visited that city in a year.
He said tour operators could come out with trips that suit cruise tourists to showcase Visakhapatnam, leveraging its rural, religious, Buddhist, and Agency areas like Borra Caves and Araku and short trips for domestic tourists.
VPT Chairman M. T. Krishnababu said tenders were called for extending the slipway. Developing a terminal there by spending Rs.6 crore to Rs.8 crore would facilitate cruise tourism, particularly for domestic tourists. He assured operators that the VPT would offer competitive charges for use of berths.
If cruises with a capacity of 1,500 come, they can anchor at the 180-metre jetty, known as ONGC jetty.
VDC Vice-Chairman O. Naresh Kumar wanted permission for more airlines that were ready to operate from Visakhapatnam.
APTDC General Manager Bhimasankara Rao, Tourism Officer Siri, and ACP (Immigration) Duppala Rajeswara Rao participated.
Tour operators
can showcase Visakhapatnam by planning trips that
suit cruise tourists.
K. Hairbabu
MP
