********************************************************
The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, today (June 20) highlighted at the welcoming ceremony for the Quantum of the Seas the Government's commitment to invest in cruise tourism development in Hong Kong.
Speaking at the welcoming ceremony for the largest cruise ship that has ever berthed at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (KTCT), Mr So said the arrival of the cruise ship marked an important milestone in the development of cruise tourism in Hong Kong. It demonstrated clearly Hong Kong's capacity to receive mega-size cruise ships and showed fully a vote of confidence by international cruise lines in the Hong Kong market.
Completed in 2013, the KTCT has the capacity to accommodate simultaneously two mega-size cruise ships with gross tonnage of 220,000. Mr So said the Government is improving the supporting infrastructure of the KTCT, including its transport connectivity.
The Government is also deploying considerable resources, on a recurrent basis, to promote the cruise industry in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Tourism Board is promoting Hong Kong as an Asia cruise hub all over the world. There are joint promotion campaigns in collaboration with different cruise lines which feature Hong Kong as one of the best cruise destinations. The launch of the Asia Cruise Fund has also promoted and cultivated regional collaboration and partnership among neighbouring ports to enhance the overall attractiveness of the whole region to cruise lines.
"With the Government's firm commitment to invest in cruise tourism development in Hong Kong, we are happy to see that more and more cruise lines are deploying cruise ships for itineraries covering Hong Kong. For the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, we had cruise ships from eight cruise lines in 2014, and we expect that cruise ships from 10 and 17 cruise lines will berth here in 2015 and 2016 respectively," Mr So said.
"We are optimistic with the future of cruise tourism in Hong Kong and we are sure that international cruise lines are holding an equally, if not more, affirmative business outlook on Hong Kong's cruise industry," he added.
Ends/Saturday, June 20, 2015
Issued at HKT 12:51
NNNN
