BY DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY
GUWAHATI | 11 JULY 2026
In the past forty eight hours, the Chief Secretary of Assam, Mr. Ravi Kota had hold series of important meetings with Antara Luxury River Cruises Founder Raj Singh and the head honchoes of Bernhard Schulte Cruise & Hospitality Services (BSM) and the Schulte Group respectively in Guwahati regarding development of cruise tourism in the state.
The Chief Secretary of Assam, Dr. Ravi Kota has held a discussion with Shri Raj Singh, Founder of Antara Luxury River Cruises—the operator of the world’s longest river cruise, MV Ganga Vilas—on leveraging the immense potential of the Brahmaputra to position Assam as a globally recognised luxury river cruise destination. Emphasised integrating premium tourism experiences, including golf tourism, to create a distinctive, high-value tourism ecosystem.
Discussed a long-term vision involving over Rs. 500 crore of proposed investment in dedicated luxury river cruise vessels and supporting tourism infrastructure along the Brahmaputra, with focus areas including Chandrapur (Guwahati), Kurua, Silghat, Nimati Ghat and Majuli to strengthen Assam’s river tourism network.
Stressed that tourism-led growth must directly benefit the people of Assam by prioritising employment for Assamese youth through industry-led skill development in hospitality, cruise operations, culinary services and marine engineering. The proposal has the potential to create around 5,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities, while strengthening local enterprises, artisans and community-based tourism.
Developing the Brahmaputra as a world-class inland water tourism corridor will unlock new avenues for investment, employment and sustainable economic growth, further reinforcing Assam’s emergence as a leading global river tourism destination.
Today, Mr. Ravi Kota, the CS of Assam has also met with the delegation from Bernhard Schulte Cruise & Hospitality Services (BSM) and the Schulte Group, led by Mr. Martin Springer, President – Cruise & Hospitality, Mr. Frank Oertel, Managing Director – Cruise, and Capt. Sanjay Kushwaha, Director – Cruise & Hospitality.
The Schulte Group, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, is a global maritime and cruise services organisation with expertise in cruise ship management, hospitality, maritime training and international workforce development. The organisation is licensed by the Directorate General of Shipping and the Ministry of External Affairs for recruitment and deployment of Indian seafarers and overseas professionals.
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 shared its interest in assessing Assam’s training infrastructure and exploring collaboration under the State’s initiatives for overseas employment and skill development.
With over 1,000 km of navigable waterways, led by the Brahmaputra, Assam offers significant potential for sustainable inland water transport and river cruise tourism. Such collaborations have the potential to position Assam as a leading hub for river cruise tourism and globally competitive hospitality skills, contributing to sustainable economic growth, enhanced livelihood opportunities, and greater integration with international tourism and maritime value chains.
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