HIP welcomes over 6k cruise tourists in November and December, signaling growing appeal as an international destination

Colombo (LNW): Hambantota International Port (HIP) in November and December this year experienced a significant influx of cruise tourists, with over 6,000 disembarking during this period.

The port hosted five luxury liners, underscoring its growing appeal as an international travel destination.

The series of arrivals commenced on November 29th with the ‘Azamara Journey,’ bringing 620 guests.

On December 10th, the ‘Mein Schiff 5’ arrived from Muscat with 2,200 passengers, marking its second call to Sri Lanka in the year and the third overall visit to HIP.

Notably, passengers engaged in eco-friendly e-bike tours, aligning with HIP’s commitment to sustainable tourism.

The ‘Celebrity Millennium’ made two December calls, on the 5th and 16th, collectively bringing 3,500 tourists to Sri Lanka.

Concluding this sequence, the ‘Nautica’ arrived on December 19th with 498 visitors.

HIP experienced a successful year with around 22 cruise ship calls, surpassing initial estimates.

Cordelia Cruise Lines, operating holiday packages from Chennai, significantly contributed by bringing an estimated 7,500 tourists on their ‘Empress’ liner between June and September.

As vessels like the ‘Nautica’ and ‘Celebrity Millennium’ set sail for destinations like Phuket and Sabang, Indonesia, respectively, the festive cruise season continues.

The ‘Mein Schiff 5’ is destined for the Langkawi archipelago in Malaysia.