今日上海
邮轮行业达到新的行业高度 - 2023年09月03日
Cruising to new heights
Tourists pose for a photo on board China Merchants-Yidun, the first Chinese-flagged luxury cruise ship, while anchoring at a terminal at the Bund of Shanghai in March.
Strong wave of recovery recorded in the wake of growing passenger volume, He Qi reports in Shanghai.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shanghai is looking to bolster the development of its cruise industry and become a world-class hub by 2035.
According to a forecast by the Cruise Lines International Association, passenger traffic next year is likely to exceed 2019 levels. The association also predicts that global cruise passenger volume will surpass pre-pandemic levels and hit 31.5 million this year, Xinhua reported.
Shanghai is now aiming to receive 3 million cruise passengers annually by 2025, according to the newly released Shanghai Action Plan for Promoting the High-quality Development of the International Cruise Economy (2023-25).
Since the Ministry of Transport unveiled a plan for the resumption of international cruises in March, Shanghai has played a leading role in the national drive to aid the recovery of the sector.
"Since resumption, the cruise economy has sped up recovery and shown a strong momentum of growth," said Zhu Min, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, during a news conference on Aug 18.
The International Cruise Terminal on the North Bund in Shanghai's Hongkou district is expected to become the home port for at least 18 international cruises next year.
On May 26, Blue Dream Star became the first outbound cruise from China since the onset of the pandemic. Since then, Blue Dream Cruises have organized 16 voyages and welcomed about 22,000 tourists. On June 18, luxury cruise liner China Merchants-Yidun, set sail from the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal on a 15-day round-trip to Japan.
Since the resumption of travel, the city's cruise industry has generated more than 300 million yuan ($41.6 million) in ticket sales, notes Zhu.
On Aug 11, an international cruise for domestic outbound groups sailed from the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, taking around 1,000 passengers to Fukuoka, Kumamoto and other parts of Japan.
He Jialing, a travel blogger from Shanghai, was one of those onboard.
"I was really excited when I boarded. After such a long wait because of the pandemic, I am finally able to take my child on a trip abroad again," He says.
Shanghai is a key player in the development of the Chinese cruise market, which underwent rapid growth before the pandemic struck. The number of international cruise passengers in the city increased from just 26,000 in 2006, to a whopping 3.78 million in 2019.
By the end of 2019, its ports had received some 3,000 cruise ships, and approximately 15.3 million tourists.
"Though Shanghai was relatively late to the game, it has obvious advantages for further development," says Zhu.
"It has an excellent geographic location in the center of China's coastline, and a big market of nearly 25 million residents with a per capita disposable income of close to 80,000 yuan. These factors result in a high demand for holiday leisure offerings. There is also a huge passenger flow from the Yangtze River Delta."
Zhang Jie, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, points out that data from around the world show that cruise markets tend to develop quickly when the per capita GDP exceeds10,000.
"As for Shanghai, the per capita GDP has already exceeded25,000, and this will be the foundation for the development of its cruise economy," he says.
"Shanghai had good cooperative ties with the international cruise community before the pandemic, and it is believed that more international cruise companies will speed up their return to the Chinese market."
Global cruise companies have indeed been increasing efforts to tap the Shanghai market. Royal Caribbean International and the Mediterranean Shipping Company, for example, have already announced plans to operate cruise routes from Shanghai starting next year.
Adora Magic City, the country's first large, domestically made cruise ship, will embark on its maiden voyage from Shanghai next year.
Adora Magic City, China's first large, domestically made cruise ship, which completed its first trials in July, will also embark on its maiden voyage from Shanghai next year.
Xue Sasa, vice governor of Shanghai's Baoshan district, where the Wusongkou cruise terminal is located, says that three large cruise ships will begin home port operations at Wusongkou next year. They will offer about 150 routes.
Among them is the MSC Bellissima, which comes with an 80-meter LED canopy, 32 gourmet experiences, a 700-square-meter Lego park, waterslides and a ship-in-ship yacht club. Starting from March next year, tourists will be able to board the ship from Wusongkou in Baoshan district.
The Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas plans to return to Shanghai in April. This ship, which has the largest indoor sports hall at sea, offers passengers sporting options like surfing, skydiving and rock climbing.
According to Xue, about 1.2 million tourists are expected to depart from the Wusongkou terminal next year. To handle this large volume of passengers, the district has been optimizing customs clearance, and improving the infrastructure of its ports.
The International Cruise Terminal on the North Bund in Shanghai's Hongkou district is expected to become the home port for at least 18 international cruises next year.
The terminal is currently in the midst of developing a more diverse range of cruises to attract domestic and international tourists, according to the district government.
Source: China Daily
