The Maritime and Port Bureau (MPB) of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) successfully hosted the first Asia Archipelago Cruise Alliance (AACA) promotional forum on the morning of Jan 22, 2024 at Grand Mayfull Hotel Taipei. The event was participated by representatives from the Korea Tourism Organization; Buan County, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea; the Korea International Cruise Institute; the Department of Tourism Philippines; the Port and Airport Bureau and the Economy, Tourism, and Culture Bureau of Fukuoka City, Japan; the Okinawa Industry Promotion Public Corporation; and seven major international cruise operators. The dignitaries attending the event included Kuo-Shian Lin, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications; Ig-Hyeon Kweon, Mayor of Buan; Fuk-Shun Lim, President of the Korea International Cruise Institute; Han-gyu Kim, Deputy Director of the Korea Tourism Organization; Hazel Javier, Tourism Attaché of the Department of Tourism Philippines; Tetsushi Hayakawa, Director of the Port and Airport Bureau of Fukuoka City; Tatsunori Uezu, Director of the Okinawa Industry Promotion Public Corporation; Jie-Shin Lin, Deputy County Executive of Penghu County; Hsieh-Lung Yeh, Director General of the MPB; Hsin-Jen Lin, Deputy Director-General of the Tourism Administration, MOTC; and Shu-Hui Zheng, Vice President of the Taiwan International Ports Corporation, Ltd. They were accompanied by representatives from local organizations, the local tourism industry, local governments, and seven major cruise operators, namely Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Resorts World Cruises, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Coral Expeditions, and Scenic Cruises. This enthusiastic response underscores the global cruise industry’s interest in the Asian cruise market and the potential for introducing island-hopping cruises in Asia. The event organizer, the MPB, organized a Taiwanese opera performance to showcase Taiwanese culture, leaving a lasting impression on international guests from around the world.
During his speech, Deputy Minister Kuo-Shian Lin of the MOTC highlighted that, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, the global cruise passenger volume in 2024 is estimated to reach 35.7 million, representing a growth of 13.3% from 31.5 million in 2023 and indicating a rapid recovery in the global cruise market. With in-depth tourism becoming a new trend in recent years, the popularity of island-hopping cruises is increasing worldwide. With their abundant island tourism resources, various Asian countries provide numerous hidden gems for travelers to explore. The opening performance, a traditional Taiwanese opera performance, effectively showcased Taiwan’s traditional culture. Additionally, representatives from Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines indicated that exploratory island-hopping itineraries allow international tourists to gain a deeper understanding of local cultures, appreciate scenic beauty, and savor exquisite cuisine; they also noted that these experiences cannot be provided by most medium to large cruise tours. These advantages highlight the development potential of Asian island-hopping cruises. Promoting the revival of international tourism is a key policy direction of the MOTC. In the previous year, the ministry achieved its goal of attracting 6 million international visitors to Taiwan, and it intends to increase this number to 12 million this year. To this end, the MPB is actively promoting Asian island-hopping cruises, with the objectives of facilitating the development of island-hopping cruise routes, encouraging international cruise operators to include Asian islands as docking destinations, and creating a new driving force for the growth of the Asian cruise market.
Director General Hsieh-Lung Yeh of the MPB stated that the inception of the AACA promotional forum was inspired by cruise promotion agencies from Taiwan, South Korea, and the Philippines. Given the abundance of beautiful and culturally unique islands in Asia, Director General Yeh proposed promoting Asian island-hopping cruises to the world through integrated resources as an Asian or international team. In contrast to other forums, the promotional forum was designed to create opportunities for international cruise operators (buyers) to engage in direct, face-to-face communication and exchange with promotional agencies from various countries, local governments within our country, the tourism sector, and cruise-related industry stakeholders (sellers). A total of 120 roundtable meetings have been planned, with the aim of effectively promoting various destinations and fostering future cooperation between the parties involved.
In his speech, Mayor Ig-Hyeon Kweon of Buan County, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea, affirmed his belief that, despite the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on South Korea’s cruise industry in the past 3 years, cooperation among Asian countries will lead to the flourishing of cruise tourism in Asia. Director Tetsushi Hayakawa of the Fukuoka City Harbor and Airport Bureau and Director Tatsunori Uezu of the Okinawa Industry Promotion Public Corporation also noted that this promotional forum allows all parties to collect comprehensive information from around the world. Dr. Hazel Javier of the Department of Tourism Philippines stated that tourism in the Philippines is gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels. She also expressed her optimism for the cruise tourism industry, anticipating increased resilience with the introduction of enhanced contingency measures for potential pandemics. Given that cruise travel is an intergenerational activity that can cater to the varying needs of various age groups, cruises should offer a diverse range of facilities. With Asia’s abundant islands and resources, the event is expected to facilitate the establishment of more Asian cruise routes in the future.
Island-hopping cruises represent a new “blue ocean” in the global cruise market. The MPB expects the AACA promotional forum to leave a lasting impression on international cruise operators, leading to the creation of more Asian island-hopping cruise routes. Additionally, closer cooperation in cruise promotion between Taiwan and other Asian archipelagic countries is expected in the future. Together, we aim to expand Asia’s island-hopping cruise tourism, allowing more international travelers to savor the diverse beauty of Asian islands and experience more fulfilling and enjoyable cruise journeys.
Contact person: Section Chief Wen-Yun Du of the Maritime Affairs Division
Contact number: 02-89788020 and 0921201985