GUWAHATI: The Assam government is exploring a proposal to develop luxury river cruise tourism on the Brahmaputra with a potential investment of over ₹500 crore, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota said in a post on X. The initiative aims to strengthen the state's tourism infrastructure and position the Brahmaputra as a premier inland water tourism destination.
ALSO READ: Man Beaten to Death Near Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, One Arrested
The proposal follows discussions held by Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota with the founder of a luxury river cruise company on developing luxury river tourism along the Brahmaputra.
According to the Chief Secretary, the proposed project envisages the introduction of dedicated luxury cruise vessels along with supporting tourism infrastructure at key locations, including Chandrapur in Guwahati, Kurua, Silghat, Nimati Ghat and Majuli.
The proposal also includes plans to integrate premium tourism offerings such as golf tourism with the river cruise circuit to attract high-value domestic and international visitors.
Kota said the project has the potential to generate around 5,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities across sectors such as hospitality, cruise operations, culinary services, marine engineering and tourism-related services. He added that the initiative would prioritise employment for local youth while promoting skill development and training.
The proposed investment is also expected to support local enterprises, artisans and community-based tourism initiatives, while contributing to the expansion of economic activity in Assam's tourism sector.
In a separate post, Kota said he also met a delegation from Bernhard Schulte Cruise & Hospitality Services (BSM) and the Schulte Group, led by President, Cruise & Hospitality, Martin Springer, Managing Director, Cruise, Frank Oertel, and Director, Cruise & Hospitality, Capt. Sanjay Kushwaha.
During the meeting, discussions focused on strengthening Assam's river cruise tourism ecosystem, developing internationally benchmarked skill training programmes, and creating employment opportunities for the state's youth in the global cruise and hospitality sectors. The delegation also expressed interest in assessing Assam's training infrastructure and exploring collaboration under the state's overseas employment and skill development initiatives.
Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, the Schulte Group is a global maritime and cruise services organisation with expertise in cruise ship management, hospitality, maritime training and international workforce development.
Highlighting Assam's potential, Kota noted that the state has more than 1,000 km of navigable waterways led by the Brahmaputra, offering significant opportunities for sustainable inland water transport and river cruise tourism.
The proposed investment remains at a preliminary stage, and details regarding the funding structure, timeline and implementation are yet to be announced.