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Taiwan’s Bright Future in Regional Cruise Tourism
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Category:
News
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Date:
2015-05-10 ~ 2015-05-30
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Hit Rate:
1755
Taiwan’s Bright Future in Regional Cruise Tourism
Port of Keelung Director Chwan-kai Kao delivered a strong and positive message on the myriad benefits of Asia’s growing regional cruise industry, on the strong prospects for a domestic water ferry network, and on the domestic economic and commercial reverberations of these developments in a recent interview on the News 98 radio program “Starry Night”. He went on to say that cruise travel is trending upward both domestically and internationally and that the Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC) is actively working to develop the cruise tourism potentials of Taiwan’s commercial ports synergistically. Current active programs include promoting the development of cruise-ship wharves and resort facilities on the Penghu Archipelago and promoting regular harbor cruise services.
In its most recent Asia Cruise Trends report published in November 2014, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) stated its expectation that tourist numbers in Asia will grow 20% annually between 2013 and 2015 -- significantly higher than the 8~9% growth expected worldwide. This anticipates Asia’s arrival as the world’s largest new market for cruise tourism.
Looking to take advantage of this growth, all major cruise ship operators are showing increased interest in Asian investments, expanding the numbers of ships allocated to Asian routes, and increasing their Asian homeport presence. The growth in regional cruise travel numbers is also expected to gradually encourage more tourists from outside of the region to take Asian cruise journeys. Taiwan’s well-known commercial ports have a definite role to play in this rising tide, with bright prospects ahead.
Port of Keelung Director Kao identified the commercial benefits to Taiwan of the cruise-travel industry based on two different models - port of call and homeport. As a port of call, Taiwan benefits directly from the regular and in-depth opportunities for coordinating local industries to introduce Taiwan’s wealth of cultural and scenic attractions, to earn money from tourist expenditures, and to spur related economic development. As a homeport, Director Kao said, cruise ships regularly depart from Taiwan and thus source shipboard necessities, conduct repairs and contract for various support services from domestic vendors, which fuels growth in related domestic industry sectors.
Future growth in the Asian cruise sector is expected to focus on multiple calls in multiple countries, with routes expected to explore beyond the better-known ports in the region to lesser-known ports with something special to offer tourists. This was the spark that inspired TIPC to jointly invest with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in developing a dedicated cruise ship wharf and nearby resort facilities at Magong in the Penghu Archipelago. One goal of this venture is to help bring tourists to the archipelago throughout the year, rather than just during peak summer months. The Port of Keelung is also undergoing a similar overhaul, with facility renovations and new harbor-side developments. “Smile” corridor, an area that centers on TRA Keelung Station, is envisioned to integrate the allure of the city’s port with local culture and creative activities. The Port of Keelung is cooperating with city businesses on a variety of programs and activities, including the Keelung Carnival Port Sightseeing Cruise activity, which is being inaugurated this month. This activity takes visitors to see the port and its little-seen charms from the water. For more information, please visit the website: http://kl.twport.com.tw/travel/
New business opportunities and harbor-side development projects are making Taiwan’s ports important engines of economic growth as well as vanguards in raising the nation’s profile within the global tourism industry.
Provided by
Stevedoring & Warehousing Section
Port of Keelung, TIPC
Contact Person: Hsin-wei Lin
Telephone No: 02-24206497
E-mail Address:wealin@klhb.gov.tw
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