The MV Ganga Vilas, billed as the “longest river cruise in history”, which will cover 3,200 km in 51 days over 27 rivers in five states in India and Bangladesh, was launched on Friday, January 13, 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The first cruise ship built in India, the MV Ganga Vilas, made its maiden voyage out of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and will travel via Bangladesh to Dibrugarh in Assam before returning to Varanasi.
On this 51-day cruise, 50 stops will be made, including major cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh, and Guwahati in Assam. The destinations include world heritage sites, national parks, river ghats, and world heritage sites of world importance. The Prime Minister of India said that the launch of the Ganga boat service is a significant event which will usher in a new era of tourism in India, adding that he also extended an invitation to overseas visitors to visit the nation and experience its vibrancy for themselves.
There is no doubt that the river trip will encourage tourism and create a number of employment opportunities, and the trip on the MV Ganga Vilas will showcase the best of the nation to a global audience. It would provide tourists with the opportunity to embark on a journey of experience and explore the art, culture, history, and spirituality of the two countries, as well as to gain a deeper understanding of their cultures.
According to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the introduction of the world’s longest river cruise service on the Ganga river marks a landmark moment in India’s tourism industry. This will open a new chapter in the history of Indian tourism. Several other inland waterways projects in eastern India have been laid today, worth more than a billion rupees. These projects will expand trade and tourism, as well as create new employment opportunities in many parts of the country.
As part of the inaugural voyage, 32 Swiss tourists have signed up for the trip and will attend the entire duration of it, the luxurious cruise has 3 decks, 18 suites, a capacity for 36 passengers, and all the luxuries.