Louis Cruises Cyprus heads for India

Louis Cruises India, a subsidiary of the 12-ship Louis Cruises fleet, has launched operations in India using Kochi in Kerala as its homeport.
The company said in an announcement that the launch of Louis Cruises India is part of its strategy for further expansion of its international operations in new markets, with cruising being a fairly new form of holidaying in the Indian market.
Louis Cruises India will operate three-day and one-day cruises to the Maldives and Colombo from December to May 2010 on board the “Aquamarine”, a luxury cruise ship with a carrying capacity of 1,200 passengers currently operating out of Piraeus.
Kochi was a natural choice for Louis Cruises India because it has all the characteristics and potential of an emerging cruise hub, as well as government support towards tourism.
“Nearly 60,000 travelers could be expected to embark on their voyage from Kochi. This would bring real economic benefit in addition to generating new jobs for the local community”, explained Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister for Home, Vigilance and Tourism in Trivandrum.
Kerala, which was recently voted as the third best Asian holiday destination in a global online poll, saw an increase of 16% and 14% in foreign and domestic tourist arrivals last year.