Hong Kong set to benefit as global cruise lines eye mainland Chinese market
Super liner Ovation of the Seas docks at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, which is one of its two home ports alongside Tianjin
International cruise liners are sailing to Asia to meet growing demand from mainland China, which could potentially give a boost to the city’s sagging tourism industry, according to Commerce Secretary Greg So Kam-leung.
Ovation of the Seas, the third quantum-class ship operated by US cruise firm Royal Caribbean, called in on the city on Friday. It is the largest vessel to choose Hong Kong as its home port.
Unlike most premium cruises that are based on Western styles, the new vessel is tailor-made for the mainland market with many decorations featuring Chinese elements, including a set of giant panda sculptures.
Aggressive expansion by global cruise operators into the mainland market has sparked competition between Hong Kong and mainland ports over which will become the regional home for premium cruises.
Commerce chief So, who has been tasked to boost the city’s tourism industry, told the audience at
Ovation of the Seas’ welcome ceremony: “We welcome all international cruise liners to choose Hong Kong as your home port.
“We have very modern facilities in this [Kai Tai ]cruise terminal. I am sure it will not scratch any of your ships,” So said. The commerce secretary has attended most of the welcome events for world-class cruise ships.
He said the city received 260,000 cruise passagers last year – double the number recorded in the previous year. The increase was in part helped by the completion of the HK$8 billion Kai Tak Cruise Terminal as sailings from the terminal jumped from nine in 2013 to 97 this year and a forecast 150 next year.
However, mainland ports, especially those in southern provinces, are becoming strong competitors.
Genting, a Hong Kong-based cruise operator and big player in the international market, chose Guangzhou over Hong Kong as home port for its first Asia-targeted ship earlier this year. It has also signed an agreement with China Merchants Shekou Holdings to jointly develop Shenzhen’s Tai Zi Bay into a major cruise port.
Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas will spend only one month in Hong Kong. Nine months will be spent in Tianjin – its second home port.
However, Thomas Wang, regional sales and marketing director at the firm, said Hong Kong still had “absolute advantage” over other rising ports in southern China.
“Hong Kong is the centre of the Asia-Pacific region. It has 100 airlines [operating in the city] per day,” Wang said, adding that the distance from the cruise terminal to the downtown area was much shorter in Hong Kong than it is in mainland ports.
Wang said its two ships based in Hong Kong this year could bring more than 50,000 visitors to the city, most from the mainland.
The 1,141-foot ship will offer five routes from the city to Taiwan and Japan, ranging from four to eight nights, with rates set at about HK$1,400 per night.
