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Seven
Chinese cities operating eight state-of-the-art cruise terminals have proposed
to set up a port alliance akin to the ones found in Europe.
Following the examples of such organizations as MedCruise and Cruise Baltic,
Shanghai, Tianjin, Xiamen, Sanya, Zhoushan, Qingdao and Hong Kong have agreed to
cooperate and jointly promote cruise business development in China’s coastal
regions. The cities are in talks with major international cruise lines such as
Costa Crociere, Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises,
Star Cruises, Bohai Ferry and HNA Cruises.
This is the latest in a series of alliance development in the region. Only
recently CLIA established two branches in Asia, and the Asia Cruise Fund
welcomed Hainan and the Philippines as its newest members. These are sure signs
of the region’s cruise business maturing. Asia Cruise Fund is actively seeking
new partners.
The new cruise port alliance has been proposed at the time when the newest
Chinese cruise terminal, Shanghai’s Baoshan International Cruise Homeport, is
reportedly to have become the first terminal in the country expected to show a
small profit in 2014. |
