China’s Ministry of Natural Resources reported that cruise passenger throughput at its ports increased by 40.1% year on year during the first half of 2025. This sharp rise underlined the return of China’s domestic marine tourism sector to pre‑pandemic vibrancy.
Over that 6‑month period, marine tourism added value reached 771.8 billion yuan (~US$108 billion), reflecting year‑on‑year growth of 8%.
The Ministry attributed this performance to a trifecta of supportive policies, an expanded fleet of vessels and ports, and rising intra‑national travel demand. Analysts noted that coordinated port development, visa relaxation for cruise groups and incentive schemes for operators had contributed to improved cruise supply and healthy year‑on‑year growth across similar indicators.
China’s gross ocean product (GOP)—a macroeconomic measure encompassing fisheries, shipping, offshore energy, marine recreation and more—rose 5.8% to 5.1 trillion yuan in the same timeframe.
Of note, the marine tourism segment’s share of GOP grew even faster than other sectors, indicating that coastal voyage and cruise sales played a central role in the maritime economy’s post‑pandemic rebound.
Having swiftly approved 167,000 hectares of marine and island usage in H1—including plans for new cruise terminals and yacht berths—Chinese coastal authorities are building infrastructure to accommodate continued tourism momentum. Hard data shows sea freight, shipbuilding, offshore wind energy and aquatic farming also benefited from conservation and investment policies.
The Ministry predicted marine tourism would gain further traction through summer and into autumn as domestic leisure travel peaks. From a maritime operational standpoint, this marks a significant shift in vessel deployment, insurance considerations, shore excursions, and capacity planning, confirming that an expanding cruise economy is now firmly anchoring itself in China’s coastal hubs.