China is projected to become the world’s most important cruise market with 10 million cruise passengers in 2030 in the “2016 China Cruise Industry Development Report”, an industry study jointly released by Shanghai International Cruise Economy Research Center, Shanghai University of Engineering Science and Social Science Academic Press on October 12.     

According to data from China Cruise & Yacht Industry Association (CCYIA), a total of 539 cruises called at in China in 2015 and they carried 2.48 million passengers in and out of the country in the year. The number of cruises berthing in China for the first six months of 2016 totaled 415, equivalent to 76.99% of last year’s total berthing, and the number of passengers carried in and out of the country on the cruises during the six months was 1.84 million, equivalent to 74.07% of the 2015 total.     

The CCYIA data also showed that Shanghai dominates China’s cruise market as the eastern harbor is carrying 69.8% of the nationwide cruise passenger volume and berthing 55.42% of all cruise ships. Tianjin, China’s second largest port, handles 11.02% of the country’s cruise passenger traffic, followed by Guangzhou, which handles 8.91% of China’s cruise passengers. 

Despite rapid development in China’s cruise market, the report cites industry analysts’ concerns that the trend towards lower cruise prices will jeopardize the sector’s healthy development. (Translated by Jerry)