India's cruise market can scale only with homeporting, says TIRUN Travel CEO Varun Chadha

India's cruise market can scale meaningfully only when ships begin sailing regularly from domestic ports, according to Varun Chadha, CEO, TIRUN Travel Marketing, in a recent interaction detailing the sector's structural challenges and future potential.

The Power of Domestic Homeporting

While cruising currently remains a premium, niche product in India, Chadha identifies the lack of local departures as the single biggest barrier to scaling. He emphasizes that bringing ships to sail from Indian ports like Mumbai, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, and Kochi is essential. "That is the only way to move from roughly 400,000–450,000 Indian cruisers today to a few million," he explains.

Elevating Infrastructure and Experiences

For the market to truly thrive, Chadha notes that domestic destinations must become more presentable and exciting. Drawing a parallel to the aviation sector, he highlights that infrastructure and service quality will naturally improve as passenger throughput increases.

Unlocking this massive potential requires looking beyond the ship itself. "We also need seamless port processes and stronger onshore experiences, not just basic excursions," Chadha adds, pointing toward a more robust and seamless travel ecosystem for Indian vacationers.