Will China be at the centre of the cruise map?

If you are an experienced traveller you have probably done most itineraries and looking for a new destination, very often i hear people say they are fed up with the usual ports of call and are looking for something new. There are only so many itineraries and when cruising usually a vast area is included so very often people end up going to places you have already been to many times before.

So far we have not seen many Chinese port in itineraries, the major ports of call currently are Shanghai, Tianjing, Xiamen and Sanya which have already have already taken part in the latest development. With the major expansion we will see many other exciting ports on the cruise map allowing passengers to visit places off the beaten track. The expansion will be completed in 2020 which will see as many as 4.5 million passengers with an increase of $8 billion of local economy impact.

With the Tianjin port growing, the local government will make it a new “Pilot Zone of China Cruise Tourism Development,” with the idea that policies in Tianjin will serve as a benchmark throughout China. An industry plan will touch on visa and tax incentives for the cruise lines.

Tianjin is also putting together a China Alliance of Cruise Suppliers, a group that will share best practices in doing business with the cruise lines. That gathering will benefit from procurement briefings this week in Tianjin from Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Genting Hong Kong/Star Cruises.

Carnival Corporation is moving to assert itself as the largest cruise company in China. They will carry approximately 500,000 passengers in China this year.

Also Carnival signed a MOU with China State Shipbuilding to explore the possibility of building ships in China.

Carnival has been busy building up, opening 10 offices in China for a fleet in Asia that includes seven brands, 27 ships and features 220 port calls in China in 2014.

Their business in China has already doubled since 2013.  They believe this will someday be the largest market in the word.

I personally think this is an exciting development and i am sure it will catch the attention of those cruise passengers looking for new destinations. There is a lot to discover in China with so many unexplored destinations off the beaten track. A very exciting opportunity for us all. The very best way to see china with become cruising!