VASCO: The cruise tourism season in Goa finally concluded with the departure of the 39th cruise vessel with 676 high end international tourists and 393 crew members on Thursday. Though the MPT was expecting another cruise vessel(40th cruise vessel) in Goa on June 5 2017, this cruise vessel was cancelled by the operators. The cruise vessel namely ‘Azamara Journey’ which had actually kick started the 2016-17 cruise tourism in Goa became the last cruise vessel to conclude the cruise tourism season in the state.
“It is indeed a proud and happy movement for MPT as we successfully handled 39 cruise vessels in the 2016-17 tourism season in Goa as against 29 cruise vessels last tourism season (2015-16). From October 2016 till March 2017, we handled 36 cruise vessels from March 2017 till May 11 2017, MPT handled 3 vessels including the last vessel that departed from Goa to Mumbai on Thursday afternoon” said MPT Chairman I Jeyakumar
He went on to say that the next year would witness 47 vessels docking in Goa and he hoped another three vessels would be added making it excatly 50 ships. By 2022, MPThopes to attract 100 cruise vessels in Goa.
Commenting on new proposals to provide better facilities for cruise vessels in Goa, the Chairman said “Firstly for the next tourism season that would start from October this year, the domestic cruise vessel ferrying passengers from Goa to Mumbai will commence.
