India (Commonwealth Union)_ The MV Ganga Vilas is the first cruise ship manufactured in India. The world’s longest river cruise was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi. The luxury cruise MV Ganga Vilas will travel 3,200 kilometers over 27 river systems across five states in India and Bangladesh over the course of 51 days. During his welcome address to the tourists, PM Modi said, “India has everything that you can imagine. It has a lot beyond your imagination. India cannot be defined in words. It can only be experienced from the heart”.
According to the official statement, on the maiden voyage of the MV Ganga Vilas, 32 Swiss visitors will enjoy the journey from Varanasi to Dibrugarh, and the vessel is slated to arrive in Dibrugarh on March 1, 2023. The 32 Swiss visitors who embarked on the inaugural voyage were greeted at the Varanasi port with flowers and shehnai music. Prior to embarking on the voyage, they visited several religious and historic sites in Varanasi.
According to Raj Singh, the director of the cruise, this five-star moving hotel features 3 decks and 18 suites that can accommodate 36 passengers. In addition, it provides accommodations for forty crew members. The luxury vessel is 62 meters long, 12 meters wide, and has a draft of 1.4 meters. The cruise will depart from the iconic ‘Ganga Aarti’ in Varanasi and visit Sarnath, a Buddhist pilgrimage site; Mayong, popular for its ‘tantric’ craft; and Majuli, the world’s biggest river island and Vaishnavite center in Assam. Additionally, the tourists will visit the Bihar School of Yoga and the Vikramshila University.
According to the statement, the trip will cover destinations such as the World Heritage Sites of the Sundarbans in the Bay of Bengal, which is known for its Royal Bengal Tigers, and Kaziranga National Park, which is known for its one-horned rhinos. Additionally, the voyage will also cover 50 tourist destinations, including world heritage sites, national parks, river ghats, and key towns such as Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh, and Guwahati in Assam.
Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Union Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, stated that the MV Ganga Vilas voyage is an initiative towards realizing the country’s enormous river tourism potential. It will place India on the global river cruise map. He added, “Our rich heritage will get further transcended in the global stage as tourists will be able to experience the spiritual, educational…cultural as well as the richness of the biodiversity of India”.
The MV Ganga Vilas features all the facilities necessary to create a memorable and luxurious experience for the passengers. Sonowal, emphasizing the need to boost river cruise tourism in the country, stated that the growth of this industry will create job opportunities in the hinterland. He also stated that river tourism circuits would be created and connected with the current tourist circuits for maximum exposure and quick growth of this industry in the nation.
According to reports, the worldwide market for river cruises has increased by 5% in the past few years and is projected to account for 37% of the cruise industry by 2027. Europe has been a pioneer in world river cruise business, driving the industry’s expansion with approximately sixty percent share. India operates eight river cruise vessels between Kolkata and Varanasi, and cruise transportation is also available on the National Waterways, including the Brahmaputra. According to the statement, NW2 is currently constructing ten passenger terminals, which will eventually boost the river cruise market. Currently, there are four river cruise vessels operating in NW2, with limited service in NW3 (West Coast Canal), NW8, NW 4, NW 87, NW 97, and NW 5.
