Visakhapatnam: Tourism stakeholders held a meeting with Dr. Madhaiyaan Angamuthu, Chairperson and Durgesh Kumar Dubey, Deputy Chairperson of Visakhapatnam Port Authority on Thursday to discuss on ‘enhancing domestic cruise tourism in Visakhapatnam.’ Members from Andhra Pradesh Tourism Forum, AP Chamber of Commerce, Tours and Travels Association of Andhra (TTAA) and Federation of Hotels Association of Andhra (FHAA) participated. TTAA president K Vijay Mohan and other members gave inputs for formulating a comprehensive strategy for development of cruise tourism in Visakhapatnam and put Vizag on the global cruise tourism map.

VPA was requested to form a committee or constitute a board for cruise development with the State Government and the stakeholders. He said there is a need to have a dialogue with the cruise companies like Cordelia, Royal Caribbean, Costa, MSC Cruises, Cunard, Norwegian, Silverseas, Celebrity, Holland America and Resort World Cruises to look at sailings to Visakhapatnam as part of their itineraries or when they are relocating their cruises from Asia to Europe.

“It is most important to meet the cruise companies as the sailing schedules and itineraries are planned 1.5 years to two years ahead and unless we talk to them now we will not have any cruises in a two year frame,” Vijay Mohan opined.