Goa witnessed a 40% rise in cruise passenger arrivals in the 2023-24 financial year and now the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) is aiming to increase the numbers by expanding and developing the International and Domestic Cruise Terminal in the state, which is expected to be completed by March 2025, according to an official release.
The new terminal, along with a number of facilities that will be developed will increase passenger convenience, and enhance the cruise experience of travellers, while improving the local economy and promoting sustainable practices. According to PTI, a senior MPA official said that infrastructure enhancements, will boost the region’s position on the global cruise industry map.
Speaking at the Maritime States Development Council meeting in Goa held on September 12 and 13, an official noted that the rise in global cruise traffic has significantly increased cruise ship arrivals at Mormugao Port, indicating potential for substantial growth. During the 2023-24 fiscal year, the number of cruise vessel calls rose by 15%, and cruise passenger numbers surged by 40% compared to the previous fiscal year. On the first day of the Maritime States Development Council meeting, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, visited the proposed site for the new cruise terminal and said that the new cruise terminal will boost tourism and increase cruise travellers.
