Shanghai unveiled plans to develop its Wusongkou Cruise Port into the third-largest in the world in terms of passenger trips and create an industrial chain worth 100 billion yuan (US$14.08 billion) in the northern Baoshan district of the city, officials announced.
According to Su Ping, deputy director of Baoshan district, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism approved the establishment of the first for the nation cruise tourism development demonstration zone in Baoshan.
Following a decade of development, China has become the second-largest cruise market in the world by passenger volume with 2.19 million, accounting for over half of total Asian passengers. About 63% of the Chinese cruise market comes from Shanghai. Baoshan is to spend at least 100 million yuan annually in supporting the cruise industry's development.
According to CCTD Chairman Yang Guobing, the company expected to invest 50 billion yuan over the next decade as well as operate an extensive fleet in Shanghai by 2030. He added their target was to create a complete cruise industrial chain together with their partners like Carnival and Fincantieri.
The expansion of cruise tourism in Asia, especially in China, has been accompanied by the growth in cruise ship development and building in the country, said Andrew Williams, president of the Maritime Portfolio in Informa Markets.
The Wusongkou Cruise Port is currently the 4th largest in the world. It has so far received over 2,000 cruise ship trips and over 13 million passenger trips.