Monday, August 21, 2023
Shanghai launched an action plan to encourage the city’s high-quality growth of the global cruise industry from 2023 to 2025.
The strategy will take advantage of the critical window of opportunity for the revival of the global cruise economy by concentrating on the strategic direction of high-level reform and opening-up in order to stimulate innovation in policies and systems for the global cruise sector.
By 2035, Shanghai envisions itself as a regional cruise economic hub with the ability to allocate global resources, an internationally recognized cruise hub, and a globally influential cruise tourism destination.
The plan set six specific work objectives, including establishing a cruise “hub port,” developing a cruise “headquarters port,” and building a cruise “manufacturing port.” It also aims to enhance the ability for independent cruise operations, establish an Asia-Pacific cruise ship supply base, and significantly increase the scale of the cruise economy.
The action plan suggests 20 work steps in five areas to accomplish these goals, including strengthening the cruise manufacturing system, consolidating port hub functions, enhancing cruise support services, and improving the ecosystem of the cruise industry.
The cultivation and gathering of local and international cruise business headquarters, for instance, is a crucial component of the strategy. The goal of the city is to raise the standard of local cruise brands, encourage professional restructuring of cruise manufacturing firms, and entice international cruise corporations to establish their regional headquarters in Shanghai.
Strengthening the development of a financial service system, expanding investment and financing channels, increasing the supply of financial and insurance products and services in the cruise construction sector, and supporting cruise companies’ initial public offerings (IPOs) are some of the steps that can be taken to solidify the policy support system for the cruise industry.
The action plan places a strong emphasis on creating a complete talent system for the cruise industry. It promises to boost the interchange of top talent within the sector and to improve the development of local talent in the field.
The city will also construct a cruise industry policy support system, create local rules, and set up a cruise data statistics and monitoring system while also optimizing the supporting policy system.
Shanghai, China’s first national homeport for cruises, has consistently had a market share of more than 50% countrywide. It is the only city in the nation to offer port services, building, operation, and research and development for the cruise industry.
The number of international cruise passengers increased from 26,000 in 2006 to 3.78 million in 2019, contributing to 5.6 percent of the worldwide cruise market. Prior to 2019, the city’s international cruise economy grew quickly and steadily. By the end of 2019, the total scale of the cruise economy had reached 26 billion yuan (US$3.57 billion), with over 3,000 boat calls and over 15.3 million tourists.
With a plan unveiled in March, Shanghai has been actively pushing the trial return of foreign cruises this year. Since then, the cruise industry has had a strong momentum of fast recovery and expansion.
According to data, the city’s cruise sector has contributed more than 300 million yuan in ticket sales income, over 100 million yuan in ship supply consumption, and around 3.5 million yuan in spending at duty-free stores in cruise ports since the pilot’s resume. Additionally, it has added more than 4,000 new jobs, and by 2024, an additional 20,000 jobs are anticipated.
Tags: cruise tourism, shanghai
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