New Mangalore Port has a Plan to Increase Cruise Tourism in Mangalore: Here is the Plan

New Mangalore Port has a Plan to Increase Cruise Tourism in Mangalore: Here is the Plan

September 11: New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) has drawn a plan to increase cruise tourism from New Mangalore Port.
Venkata Ramana Akkaraju, chairman, NMPT said that there are three entry or exit gates as of now, and the fourth one that will get ready in another two to three years which will be connected by a separate road to pick and drop the tourists arriving by ships.
Akkaraju said that he has discussed with the district administration, the idea to to start helicopter service for tourists arriving by cruise ships in order to tap the potential of nearby places of tourist importance.
Cruise vessels visiting the port vessels come in the morning and leave at night to their next port. If there is helicopter service during the cruise season passengers can be taken from the helipad in the city for a quick visit to nearby tourist and important places like Kukke Subrahmanya, Sri Mookambika Temple at Kollur Sringeri Sharada Peetham and return back to the city in the evening.
Akkaraju mentioned that during the last cruise season, there were 26 cruise vessels with with 29,372 passengers. The port authorities along with the district administration have agreed to run a prepaid taxi counter for tourists.
He mentioned that discussion with the department of tourism has been held to operate buses to various tourist destinations with guides who are fluent in English, French, Spanish and other foreign language.