Mangaluru: A lean cruise tourism season, beginning mid-Dec, looms over Mangaluru, with fewer than five luxury ships expected this year. Last year, New Mangalore Port welcomed a total of seven luxury cruise vessels, compared to the close to a dozen it used to receive before the pandemic. Although the number is smaller, all the cruises scheduled to embark from Mangaluru are expected to carry a larger number of passengers.According to stakeholders, post-Covid, cruise tourism suffered a major setback, with various factors contributing to the decline in the number of ships. “Mangaluru has a lot to offer. However, our story has not been highlighted at the global level. When passengers arrive, they ask us about the attractions in Mangaluru. In reality, we have more than just beaches — our rich history, old churches, temples, and other monuments, which many foreigners are interested in. Unfortunately, this information is not made available. It would be more beneficial if such information were displayed at the New Mangalore Port Authority terminal,” complained a stakeholder, adding that Mangaluru tourism needs more promotion at the global level.Another major complaint received from passengers, who are mostly from European countries or the USA, is that there are too many security checks at NMPA. “One of the major reasons why the number of ships started to decrease is the many security rules at NMPA, which include physical frisking during the entry and exit of passengers. They (passengers) are very unhappy about the procedure, and the same feedback is given to the authorities many times. We have also shared this feedback with the authorities, but no measures were taken until last season. We recommended using other methods, such as enhanced security machines, to perform the procedure,”said one of the stakeholders associated with cruise tourism for many years.Apart from other reasons, there is apprehension among passengers about visiting India, said a stakeholder, adding: “This has to be addressed at the global level, and also Indian tourism should be promoted across the globe. As a stakeholder, it is difficult to promote, as we don’t have resources and contacts.”A spokesperson for NMPA shared that so far, five luxury ships have been planned to visit Mangaluru. He added that last year, a total of seven cruise ships brought 3,558 passengers. Regarding physical frisking, the spokesperson stated that it is only performed once, when passengers return to the cruise ship after visiting the city.
