All aboard! Cruise line industry returning to Shanghai
Amid the rising demand on tours in China, the cruise industry has been the last to resume services due to a number of factors. However, major moves from cruise line heavyweights have presented their confidence in the Chinese market, shedding light on the rebound of the industry.
  Ti Gong
   Luxury cruise liner CM-Yidun heads out to sea.
  Preparation in full swing for the rebound of cruise tourism
   Luxury cruise liner CM-Yidun of China Merchants Viking Cruises will set sail from the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal on June 18 for a 15-day round-trip cruise to Japan, marking the resumption of international cruise operations in China.
  Ticket sales started in late April, and nearly 70 percent of cabins on the inaugural sailing had been reserved within half a month, according to the cruise company.
  Bookings are still on a steady rise, reflecting the robust demand of Chinese tourists for high-end outbound tourism, it said.
  The outbound cruise route will include several popular tourist destinations in Japan, including Osaka, Nagasaki, Nagoya, Kagoshima and Hiroshima.
  "Preparation is well underway, involving adjustment of the health and safety program, on-shore excursion development, cruise experience design, and port berth coordination," Tan Wee-Hoon, senior vice-president of product development and marketing of Viking Cruises Asian Markets, told Shanghai Daily.
  "Amid the growing consumption power of Chinese outbound travelers, an increasing number of tourists are looking for in-depth tour experience, and there is growing demand on the flexibility and comfort of trips," she said.
  The judgement is made on the basis that Shanghai is Asia's largest cruise home port and the world's fourth-largest.
  Between 2008 and 2020, Shanghai received around 3,000 cruise liners, resulting in 15 million trips from domestic and international tourists, according to the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism.
  In late March, the China Ministry of Transport approved the restart of international cruise operations in Shanghai and Shenzhen on a trial basis.
  Ti Gong
   Spectrum of the Seas is a Quantum Ultra Class flagship of Royal Caribbean International.
  "We firmly believe in the long-term upward trend of the cruise industry as the impact of the COVID pandemic is periodical," she said. "Statistics have shown that China's cruise market will very likely surpass that of the United States, becoming No.1 by 2035.
  "It is also believed small and medium-sized cruise liners highlighting in-depth and slow-paced culture tours have huge market potential," she added.
  The cruise operator said it might explore other popular destinations in Southeast Asia in its design of routes based on the market demands of Chinese tourists.
  Viking Cruises launched outbound river cruise义建设者和接班人,培养一代又一代在社会主义现代化建设中可堪大用,能担重任的栋梁之才,确保党的事业和社会主义现代化强国建设后继有人.要坚持不懈用新时代中国特色社会主义思想铸魂育人,着力加强社会主义核心价值观教育,引导学生树立坚定的理想信念,永远听党话,跟党走,矢志奉献国家和人民.坚持改革创新,推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设,提高思政课的针对性和吸引力.提高网络育人能力,扎实做好互联网时代的学校思想政治工作和意识形态工作.
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