Hong Kong's Cruise Make-Over

Filed in archive Travel News on December 10, 2007

It appears that Hong Kong's new cruise terminal is not a mere pipe dream.

After kicking around ideas for several years, a committee has been formed "to seek ways to enhance the development of Hong Kong as a regional cruise hub." Known the Advisory Committee on the Cruise Industry (ACCI), the group will seek to bolster Hong Kong's image as a destination for ships cruising the eastern side of the Pacific.

The main focus for ACCI is a new terminal for cruise ships.

Hong Kong is already one of the better-known seaside cities in Asia (and the world). Why would they need to strengthen their profile as a cruise destination?

Hong Kong, once the only viable destination south of Tokyo, is, these days, not the only cruise port in the region. A the tourist industries in vietnam and The Philippines continue to develop, the number of cruise ships in their harbors increases. Perhaps of a greater threat to Hong Kong's status is the increasing interest in the cities of Mainland China's eastern seaboard. Ten years ago, travel to the mainland was limited to a few adventurous travelers. Now, even the most casual holidaymaker wouldn't blink at the idea of a cruise that stopped over in Shanghai or Shenzhen.

Who gains from this new competition? Cruise-goers, for one. They will be able to choose from a wider array of destinations. Hong Kong will be working with other ports in the South China Seas to create new cruise packages. And, with a couple of years, cruisers will be getting their land-legs at a new state-of-the-art terminal right in the middle of Hong Kong's storied seafront.