Another luxury cruise ship, Azamara Quest arrived at the Colombo Port yesterday carrying more than 600 passengers, mainly from the US the third luxury cruise with in 16 days from the arrival of the first such cruise liner signaling the revival of the country’s hospitality industry.
Tourism Ministry is planning to promote nautical tourism and the luxury passenger cruise ship arrivals harnessing the potential in the economic Development of Sri Lanka.
All ingredients already provided by nature, it is time, Sri Lanka is to take a special interest in emphasizing that Sri Lanka really concentrate on developing the Nautical Tourism as a special niche in its new phase of Tourism Development”.
Tourism Ministry also explores the possibility of partnering top blue-chip companies to enter the lucrative 40 billion dollar cruise line business that is estimated to carry 22.3 million passengers, with the market growing at 3.2% in volume.
Azamara Quest is an R-class cruise ship that entered service for Azamara Cruises on 24 October 2007. She was built in 2000 for Renaissance Cruises as R Seven.
The Azamara Quest carries about 710 passengers (double occupancy) plus 410 crew members (1:2 staff to guest ratio). The ship is in Colombo today and it will call at the Hambanthota port on Monday.
The previous luxury cruise ship carrying 2,000 visitors docked in Sri Lanka on Tuesday 29 November reviving tourism prospects on the island battered by the long-term effects of coronavirus lockdowns and months of political instability along with the economic crisis this year.
This Mein Schiff 5 arrived in Colombo five days ago after luxury cruise liner Viking Mars docked at the Colombo Port on on November 18, sparking hopes that the struggling tourism sector might finally be moving towards its pristine days.
Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said that it was “heart-warming” to see the luxury cruise in Colombo.
“Having a cruise ship in the country is similar to having 10 aircraft full of tourists,” the minister said.
Last week, the Norwegian luxury passenger cruise ship Viking Mars arrived on the island with some 1,000 people on board 16 days ago The minister said luxury cruise liners began to operate on the island after a six-month hiatus.
Sri Lanka suffered months of social unrest as deadly antigovernmental protests hit the island, with people angry over the alleged mismanagement of the economic crisis.
Minister Fernando said the country expected two to three more passenger ships in December. “The cruises will build a positive image of the country through word of mouth. That is what the country needs now,” he said.
