Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port to get 13 ship callings from Cordelia Cruises from June to September
Ada Derana: The Hambantota International Port (HIP) will be entering the tourism mix of Indian cruise ships with an agreement of 13 ship calls to the port between June and September this year.
“We are positioning the port to several categories of cruise ships from luxury liners to all inclusive, budget and low budget carriers. With a 17 metre depth, HIP can accommodate any cruise liner in the world and as a new and modern port, we are well geared to handle the needs of ships, crew and passengers, immigration & emigration, customs and secure passenger services. We are well aware that there are more than 2000 cruise ship ports in the world, and Hambantota International Port, situated in the deep south of Sri Lanka is ideal to join this circuit, as a convenient port of call for ships plying the Indian Ocean. We have a wide range of touristic offerings at a very short distance from the port’s gate,” says Johnson Liu, CEO of Hambantota International Port Group.
Cordelia Cruise Lines, which offers holiday packages to Indian and international travellers, kicked off cruise packages from Chennai, with the maiden call of ‘Empress’ at HIP.
“In the past six months we have seen an increase in cruise ships calling at HIP and we expect to grow this service further. The nexus with Hayleys Advantis, agents for Cordelia Cruise Lines is yet another step in promoting Hambantota as an ideal cruise ship destination. While the port’s location away from the busy metropolis, and its green environment, are added attractions, the port also has a duty free complex, with shops offering high quality imported products to ship passengers and crews,” the CEO added.
Hayleys Advantis offers tourists disembarking at the Hambantota International Port, a number of attractive excursions such as, walks through the Galle Dutch Fort, river cruises, hikes to the Diyaluma Waterfall and visits to a nearby turtle hatchery, and treks through Yala, Udawalawe, and Bundala national parks. Visits to the Akuressa Tea Factory, the Unawatuna Beach as well as shopping sprees are also included. Clarion Shipping, a subsidiary of Hayleys Advantis is the agent for the vessel.
OSL take:
The steady growth experienced by Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is further evident by the increase in the number of cruise ships carrying tourists calling at the country’s ports. Sri Lanka Tourism has been engaged in an aggressive promotional campaign as well as explore and present new tourism concepts to attract a new clientele to the country. The exposure received by Sri Lanka as a must visit tourist destination in the international media has also helped attract tourists to the country. Sri Lanka is fast moving towards achieving tourist arrival numbers during the pre-Covid period. The increasing tourist arrivals to the country has also resulted in development and expansion work being carried out by businesses engaged in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, especially in the leisure and hospitality sectors. More international leisure and hospitality brands have also expressed interest in entering Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. On the other hand, the increase in tourists to the country and the exploring of New tourism concepts in the country have also expanded business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20230613/Z_3 |