Tourism dept proposes mini cruises, yacht stays off Vizag coast

Visakhapatnam: The state tourism department is working to enhance sea-based leisure activities for tourists by proposing mini cruise services along the coast. The department has requested the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) to operate mini cruises with a capacity of around 80 passengers.Tourism secretary Ajay Jain has written to the port authorities seeking technical feasibility and necessary permissions to operate the proposed services. For context, the Central government constructed a cruise terminal at a cost of Rs 100 crore within the port premises two years ago. Cruise tourism has so far been limited to an annual visit by a major cruise liner operating the Chennai–Visakhapatnam–Puducherry–Chennai route. Despite discussions among the tourism department, travel operators, and port authorities, cruise tourism has seen little progress. The tourism department has now sought permission to utilise the cruise terminal for mini cruises and requested the port to assess technical feasibility. Proposed routes in the pipeline include Vizag–Bheemili–Vizag, Vizag–Srikakulam, and Vizag–Vizianagaram. In addition, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) plans to introduce a ‘Night Stay at Sea in Yacht' experience, offering overnight accommodation on yachts equipped with tourist amenities for a unique sea tourism experience. APTDC officer Jagadeesh told TOI that the department had sent a proposal to the port authorities five months ago. "Technical feasibility is the first step to operate mini cruises. The port has the expertise to assess this. The project will be initiated once feasibility clearance is obtained," he said.