A 4-day jewellery exhibition is being held on the luxury cruise liner MS Karnika (ex P&O Pacific Jewel) from Monday, January 6th.
Touted as the `first-ever jewellery exhibition in the world to be held on a cruise ship’, the unique event is among the joint efforts of Mumbai Port Trust and Indian Ports Association to promote cruise shipping and attract large liners with more tourists.
Jewellery industry's top honchos worldwide are expected to attend the strictly business-to-business event, where contemporary and trendy, traditional and special jewellery will be on display.
According to Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust, that was "the first time in the world probably, that such a jewellery exhibition is being held on a cruise ship" and that was a sign of things to come, that more new things could be done on cruise ships.
Bhatia added the cruise business itself was developing very fast. In fact, in Mumbai in 2017-2018, they got 40 cruise visits to Mumbai Port; in 2018-2019, they got 100, and in 2020 they were projected to be around 250 cruise ship calls.
Many steps had been taken by the Government of India and Mumbai Port Trust to attract cruise ships and passengers. Ports were building cruise terminals and associated infrastructure.