China's Cruise Industry Is Growing Fast

March 5, 2010 - PRLog -- Efforts to grow China's cruise industry is expected to result in 600,000 cruise passengers visiting Chinese sea ports by the end of the year. China's Ministry of Transport & Communications has announced a series of measures to increase cruise tourism, including streamlining customs procedures for passengers, permitting Chinese companies to start cruise operations and most significantly for cruise lines, easing cabotage restrictions enabling foreign flag cruise ships to call at more than one Chinese port on a single itinerary. This is just one example of the extensive investment in the industry that is taking place across the whole Asia-Pacific region. The opportunities and challenges that this presents will be debated at the Seatrade All Asia Cruise Convention. The event takes place from 24 - 25 June at Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, ideally placed as one of the key ports in Asia. The conference will answer many questions about Asia's fast-emerging role in the global cruise market and the key to unlocking its huge potential. Keynote speaker Lu Haihu, chairman of Shanghai International Port Group will be joined by senior executives from the major international cruise lines and other industry experts in the region's biggest cruise event of its kind, covering the whole Asia and Asia-Pacific region.
The opening session, 'Asian Cruise; the Big Picture', will address the pattern of cruise development in the region and the Asian deployment strategies of the international cruise lines. Other topics include the liberalisation of China's cabotage regime and its implications for coastal itineraries, infrastructure development across Asia and the impact of Australia's remarkable growth on the wider region. Panellists are Ann Sherry AO, ceo, Carnival Australia; Gianni Onorato, president, Costa Crociere; Michael Bayley, svp international, Royal Caribbean Cruises; William Ng, chief operating officer, Star Cruises; Amerigo Perasso, president and ceo, Silversea Cruises; and Roberto De Blasi, trade manager Far East Asia, MSC Cruises.

Further conference sessions will examine the development of Asian itineraries and destinations, the source market and relative strengths of individual national markets, port infrastructure and the new generation of cruise terminals, shore excursion development and passenger handling, the logistics of procurement and supply for the expanding cruise fleet in Asia.

# # #

The leading marketing agency for tourism & travel Industry targeting the affluent Chinese Outbound tourists. China Elite Focus builds high impact marketing campaigns on the Chinese web for luxury hotels worldwide, Incoming Tour Operators, Tourism Boards.