The 16th China Cruise Shipping Conference commenced on Saturday, November 25, in Nanshan district, Shenzhen city, under the joint hosting of Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and China Communications and Transportation Association.
Themed "Sailing from Shenzhen and traveling around the world," the conference attracted 400+ guests from more than 10 countries, including the UK, Germany, Spain, France, Japan, and Australia.
Spanning 3 days, the conference features various events such as a policy and economy forum, industry leadership forum, cruise port salon, cruise repair and supporting industry forum, and a cruise talent education and development summit.
The opening ceremony saw the official launch of the China Cruise Yacht Industry Alliance. MSC Cruises, a major family-owned cruise company, announced its return to China in 2024, while the mega luxury cruise ship Spectrum of the Seas, under Royal Caribbean, is set to return to China in the same year.
China Merchants Viking Cruises unveiled three new outbound tourism routes, including Jeju Island in South Korea as a featured destination for the first time. China Merchants-Yidun, the first Chinese-flagged luxury cruise ship launched in 2021, now boasts several cruise lines navigating from Shenzhen to various domestic cities.
In recent years, the Shenzhen government has introduced a series of policies supporting the cruise industry, encompassing aspects such as enterprise settlement, subsidies for operation teams, and cruise voyage registration.