Just days before the opening of the new cruise season, the Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius, Xavier-Luc Duval, who is also the island’s Tourism Minister and President of the Vanilla Islands Organization, gave an update on the positive developments in the cruise tourism industry of the Indian Ocean region.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius shared the good news in the presence of the Seychelles’ Minister for Tourism and Culture, Alain St.Ange; the Director of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, Kevin Ramkaloan; and the Chief Executive of the Vanilla Islands Organization, Pascal Viroleau.
In the discussions at the Deputy Prime Minister’s Port Louis Offices, it was confirmed that there has been a 100% increase in the number of cruise passengers for the 2015/2016 season. A total of 29,000 cruise passengers have been recorded compared to 14,000 for the 2014/2015 season.
The island states within the Vanilla Islands group will welcome to their shores a number of cruise ships such as the Costa NeoRomantica, with its 12 rotations.
Port calls will also be from other cruise liners namely MS AMADEA, MS ARTANIA, MS ASTOR, MS EUROPA, MS EUROPA 2, MV ISLAND SKY, MSC SINFONIA (2 rotations), OCEAN DREAM (Peace Boat), QUEEN ELIZABETH, QUEEN MARY, SILVER DISCOVERER, VOYAGER, and WORLD ODYSSEY.
Fred Olsen cruise lines and Aida Cruises have also scheduled their cruise ships to tour the Indian Ocean in the 2017/2018 season.
Mr. Xavier-Luc Duval said the Vanilla Islands Organization has held negotiations with new cruise ship companies and an announcement will be made in the coming months. The Seychelles Minister on his part said that it was clear that the Tourism Ministers of the Indian Ocean had been very successful in consolidating cruise ship tourism in the region.
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