A letter of intent was on Friday signed by Taiwan, the Philippines and South Korea to form the Asia Archipelago Cruise Alliance, which aims to develop cruise tourism in Asia.
The letter was signed in Taipei by the Maritime and Port Bureau, the Association for Cruises Development of Taiwan, the Korea International Cruise Research Institute and the Philippine Maritime Industry Authority, with the aim of attracting international cruise lines to the region.
Addressing the ceremony, Maritime and Port Bureau Director-General Yeh Hsieh-lung (葉協隆) said that countries in East Asia have rich and diverse resources to develop cruise tourism, so Taiwan hopes to join forces with its neighbors to push for island-hopping activities in Asian island destinations.
Photo: CNA
More than two years ago, the bureau helped 1,200 passengers on an Explorer Dream cruise ship visit Taiwan’s Penghu and Matsu islands after departing from Keelung Port, Yeh said, adding that it was the first cruise trip to take place in Asia after suspensions due to COVID-19.
Although Japan has not yet joined the cruise alliance, Tokyo is looking into the possibility, he said.
The cruise alliance is scheduled to formally begin operations at the end of this year, and the organization would integrate cruise tourism marketing and other resources among member countries to promote the alliance’s strength and attract international cruise lines, he added.
The government hopes that island-hopping trips will become a driver for the country’s cruise tourism market, Yeh said.
Also at the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chi Wen-jong (祈文中) said the government has designated this year for a renaissance of the local tourism industry, and set a goal of attracting 6 million foreign tourists to the country.
Cruise tourism would be a crucial part of the country’s efforts to meet that goal, by using island-hopping activities to penetrate the international cruise market, Chi said, adding that it is determined to work with Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam to expand cruise tourism.
Taiwan looks forward to the visits of upscale expedition cruise liners, which usually only carry 100 to 500 passengers, and plans special itineraries for passengers to experience the cultures in Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Green Island (綠島) and Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼), the bureau’s section head Lai Ping-jung (賴炳榮) said.
Amid optimism about the nation’s cruise market, several cruise operators, including France-based Ponant and Italy’s Costa Cruises, are scheduled to stop in Taiwan or use the country as a home port starting from next month.
Ponant would offer one trip per year to tap into the upscale market, with a cruise ship scheduled to sail to Osaka from Keelung on March 24. The cruise would stop at islands in southern Japan for expeditions. Tickets have already sold out.
Costa Cruises would return to Taiwan in June, and is offering 30 trips this year, each one lasting three to seven days.
In June, Costa Cruises is offering six trips, stopping at South Korea’s Pusan, Sogcho and Pohang ports after departing from Taiwan.
From July to September, Costa Cruises is offering 24 trips to Japan, which would stop at Sasebo, Kagoshima, Otaru, Hakodate, Naha, Miyakojima and Ishigaki Island.
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