The Report reveals that the number of international cruise liners berthing at the three major cruise ports of Shanghai, Xiamen and Tianjin and that of cross-boundary passengers will continue to grow stably and rapidly. The number of international cruise passengers visiting the coastal ports of mainland China is expected to reach 600,000 in 2010. The Shanghai World Expo will greatly promote the cruise tourism. According to the statistics, the number of homeport cruise liners at the International Passenger Transport Center of Shanghai Port (the Center) reached 15-20 in 2007 and 2008, and is expected to rise to 32 in 2009. This number will even exceed 110 in 2010, of which 69 are homeport ones, with more than 200,000 cross-boundary passengers being served.

The opening of China inland tour groups to Taiwan by cruise liners home-ported in Hong Kong has brought business opportunities to China’s cruise economy. For example, Costa Cruises will launch the first regular cruise route between Hong Kong and Taiwan in 2010, offering 15 trips throughout the year.