PASSENGER ferry services kickstarted between Sri Lanka and India last week, after being suspended in the 1980s due to the Sri Lankan civil war, will be a boon for cross-straits tourism, according to members of the Indian travel trade.
The cruise ship Scotia Prince, operated by Dubai-headquartered Flemingo Liners, will ferry passengers twice-weekly between Tuticorin in India and Colombo in Sri Lanka. Tuticorin is the closest Indian port to Colombo, and the travel time between the two cities is about 14 hours.
Flemingo has obtained a 10-year concession to run the service, while Star Destination Management has been appointed as Scotia Prince’s GSA.
Travel Agents Association of India Tamil Nadu chapter chairman, R. Venkatachalam, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “Tourism industries in both Tamil Nadu and Colombo will definitely improve with these cruise services.”
“Many tourists will happily utilise this nominal-fare, five-star cruise service to Colombo. Indian tourists can go on a short trip to Sri Lanka, and similarly, Sri Lankans can visit South India for pilgrimage and tourist attractions,” he added.
One-way fares on the ship, which can accommodate 1,044 passengers on its nine decks, start from US$51 and peak at US$317 for a platinum cabin.
Travel Services CEO, A V S Ramani, said: “Travelling by sea to a nearby international destination will be a great attraction. There’s a huge market for this cruise, especially from places in southern Tamil Nadu like Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Trichy and Kanyakumari.”
“If the cruise company can get the right publicity, it will be able to tap business from across Tamil Nadu.”
By Anand & Madhura Katti
