The river cruise tourism sector in India is experiencing significant growth, with the number of river cruise series rising from 371 in 2023-24 to 443 in 2024-25, marking a 19.4% increase. This trend highlights both the burgeoning interest in river cruises and improved operational efficiencies.
Viking Cruises is entering the Indian market with the launch of the MV Brahmaputra, an 80-cabin ship set to operate on National Waterway-2, boosting investment and interest in the sector. Over the past decade, the river cruise industry has expanded from just five ships on three waterways in 2013 to 25 ships across 13 national waterways by 2024-25. This growth is driven by efforts from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (Iwai) to enhance navigation safety and infrastructure.
Notably, the MV Ganga Vilas, launched in January 2023, completed the world’s longest river cruise, spanning from Varanasi to Dibrugarh. Looking ahead, Iwai plans to develop 51 new river cruise circuits across 14 states by 2027, aiming to triple passenger numbers through the Cruise Bharat Mission, which will improve terminals and promote eco-friendly tourism. Agreements with state governments are also in place to enhance cruise routes on major rivers like the Narmada and Yamuna.
