A trip to the capital of India seldom lets you down especially when it comes to understanding the meaning of being connected and to be in the power circle. For a journalist New Delhi is definitely the place to be as news, views and opinions are shared, discussed and debated upon by the minute. It’s a perfect place for some quotable quotes. I was a silent observer to all this and more at the recently held tourism investor’s meet, which surely promised a plethora of opportunities for investment and business networking. Mega projects along with mega promises were the highlight of the summit. Now let’s wait and see how many of these mega projects will finally see the light of day.
State tourism boards were also present in full force to lure investors to their regions. However, being an eternal optimist, I would like to add here as per investors, states like MP and Telangana, are drafting realistic policies to offer them a genuinely attractive deal especially when it comes to land parcels. There seemed to be a lineup of hospitality investors, in particular, SMEs who were seeking the right advice and guidance to gain ground in their business space. Another area of discussion, which was brought up by the CM of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, was cruise tourism and the development of certain regions in the state for this niche tourism opportunity. Our cover story this issue, focuses on this very topic, developing the cruise tourism business from India and also within India.
Cruise business has tremendous potential, and much has been discussed, debated and deliberated upon since over two decades. A story related to this sector needs to focus on two aspects – India’s outbound cruise tourism potential and the country as a cruise tourism hub. Industry experts have given their verdict on both the issues. Costa Cruises is soon to commence its maiden journey from Mumbai to Maldives and it would interesting to observe this development, especially in terms of passenger movement. This month will also witness two big industry events – the TAAI Convention and the MP Travel Mart. It is interesting to see what unfolds at both these events, one being held in India and the other on international soil.
Reema Lokesh
Editor