A Piece of Magnificent Movement for Cruise Tourism Industry-- Founding Conference of the Cruise Committee of WTCF&The 4th China International Cruise Summit (Qingdao)Convenes

On May 16th, 2016, the Founding Conference of the Cruise Committee of WTCF &The 4th China International Cruise Summit (Qingdao)was convened at Shangri-La Hotel, Qingdao. This conference was hosted by World Tourism City Federation (WTCF) and China Ports & Harbors Association; supported by Qingdao Tourism Administration, CCPIT Qingdao Sub-council, Qingdao Shibei Municipal Government, and Qingdao Port Group Corporation. The theme of the summit this year is “Cooperation in tourism promotes the development of cruise industry.”

(Member Meeting of the Cruise Committee of WTCF)

Hymn: The Cruise Committee of WTCF, the first world-class cruise association of China, was founded and the Secretariat was set in Qingdao.

On the morning of May 16th, 90 member delegates and more than 100 guests assembled in Shangri-La Hotel, Qingdao and the member conference of the Cruise Committee of WTCF was convened. The member delegates were from 26 countries and districts including Germany, France, Greece, United States, Canada, Morocco, and Argentina, while the guests were from Austria, South Korea and so on.

Atthe conference, the Cruise Committee of WTCF, the first world-class cruise association of China, was founded.Qingdao City was elected as the director unit of the Cruise Committee and the Secretariat was set in Qingdao. The preparatory committee of the Cruise Committee delivered a detailed report on thepreparationwork and the whole founding course was reviewed. 31 syndic units were elected, including a director with 12 vice-directorunits.

Huang Longhua, Vice Mayor of Qingdao, delivered a speech on behalf of the director unit. He said,“The Cruise Committee of WTCF provides a very good communication & cooperation platform for the members and is an effective channel for the integrative development of related industries.” The members are the service object and the master of the Cruise Committee. In the future, the Cruise Committee will take the core concept of “cooperation, development, environment, and sharing” and set the win-win mechanism of “sharing information, developing industries, boosting economy, and booming cities.” It will take advantage of the high industry convergence and broad market effect of cruise tourism toprovide professional, effective, and careful service. It will also promote integrative development of cruise industry and related industries, so that a new motive for world cruise tourism will be created.

The first members of the Cruise Committee consist of 10 world-famous cruise companies including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian and MSC; 16 cruise tourism cites including Athens, Barcelona, and Buenos Aires;13 cruise ports including Greater Victoria Harbor Authority (Canada), Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (H.K., China) and Incheon Port Authority (South Korea);20 travel agents and OTA, including CITS, Ctrip, tuniu.com and,CAISSA;9 cruise colleges including School of Economics & Management (Shanghai Maritime University) and Tianjin Maritime College; 22 other related institutions.

As an important port city in Northern China and a Chinese Outstanding Tourism City, Qingdao has natural advantages indeveloping the cruise economy. In May 2015, Qingdao Cruise Port was put into formal use and as a result, the cruise industry has been developing rapidly. It’s predicted that nearly 60 home-port voyages will departfrom Qingdao Cruise Port this year.The Cruise Committee of WTCF provides a very good communication &cooperation platform for worldwide cruise port cities and related institutions. It will promote integrative development of cruise industry and related industries by large. As one of the several international organizations in Qingdao, the Cruise Committee gives fresh impetus to Qingdao’s cruise industry. Qingdao is on its way to becomea powerful Cruise Center of Northern China and Regional Cruise Home Port of Northeast Asia.

(Song Yu, Secretary-General of WTCF, delivers a speech during the foundation ceremony of the Cruise Committee.)

Duringthe afternoon, Song Yu, Secretary-General of WTCF, delivered a speech during the foundation ceremony of the Cruise Committee. He said,“WTCF approves the Cruise Committee’s development concept ofcooperation, development, environment, sharing,”as well as the win-win mechanism of “sharing information, developing industries, boosting economy, and booming cities.” He hoped the Cruise Committee would be a brand new communication & cooperation platform for the city’sgovernment authorities, cruise industry associations, cruise companies, cruise ports, travel agents, and other related institutions. He believed the Cruise Committee would play an important part in promoting communication &cooperation among WTCF members and in advancing the development of world cruise travel industry. WTCF willdo its best to provide resources, platforms, and strong support for the Cruise Committee.

Symphony: China International Cruise Summit (Qingdao) has been successfullyheld for four sessions, thus becoming an important platform for exchanges within Asia’s cruise industry.

Recent years witnessed the rapid developmental momentum of global cruise tourism industry. According to the reporter, during the past three decades, cruise tourism has grown at the pace of more than 8%, much faster than the overall growth pace of international tourism industry, which amounts to 3%-4%. Statistics show that in 2015, there were 25 million cruise tourists worldwide who spent 39.6 billion dollars on cruise tourism.

As an emerging market in cruise tourism, China has enjoyed skyrocketing development in the past decade. In 2015, 629 cruises reached China, with a year-on-year growth of 35%; overseas arrivals and departuresof cruise touristsamounted to 2.48 million, with a year-on-year growth of 44%.

China International Cruise Summit (Qingdao) has been held successfully for three times. The first summit was held in Le Meridien Qingdao on Nov. 4th-5th, 2013. About 200 guests from cruise companies home and abroad, operators of China’s big cruise ports,and travel agentsattended this conference, including specialists and scholars. The second summit was held inHuiquan Dynasty HotelQingaoon Nov. 11th-12th, 2014. About 300 guests from the government, famous cruise companies, and operators of China’s cruise ports, big travel agents, and cruise collegesattended this conference, including specialists and scholars.At the conference, the guests discussed the development trend and new situation of China’s cruise industry, development mode of the cruise industry, international cruise companies’strategic deployment in China. The third summit was hosted by WTCF and China Ports & Harbors Association in Le Meridien Qingdao on May 28th-29th, 2015.The theme was“Cruise tourism starts the 21st century Marine Silk Route.” About 300 guests from the national authority, industry associations, world-famous cruise companies, operators of big cruise ports, travel agents, and related institutions attended this conference.

The fourth summit,also held in Qingdao, is of significance to multi-dimensional cooperation and integrative development of cruise industry. About 600 delegates from 30 countries and districts attended this conference, including delegates from government authorities, cruise tourism cities, industry associations, world-famous cruise companies, travel agents, cruise colleges, and cruise companies. The summit issupported by Royal Caribbean, Costa Cruises, Norwegianand the theme was“Cooperation in tourism promotes the development of cruise industry.”Many activities will be held including the opening ceremony of the Cruise Committee of WTCF, the forum session, cruise products releasing, and cruise tourism exhibition.

On behalf of China National Tourism Administration, Deputy Director, Wu Wenxue, expressed warm congratulations on the opening ceremony of the summit and extended cordial welcome to the guests home and abroad.

(Wu Wenxue, Deputy Director of China National Tourism Administration, speaks on the opening ceremony of the summit )

Wu Wenxue said,“World cruise tourism industry developed fast in recent years and rapid growth was achieved in China, the emerging cruise tourism market, in the past ten years.”

Cruise tourism facilitated the increasing rate of consumption and transformed the vacation mode from "sightseeing" to "going on a holiday" pattern. It is a major force in promoting the development of regional marine tourism. Cruise tourism development is of great significance in meeting the growing demand for tourism consumption, promoting development and transformation of regional economy, and improving the level of modern service industry. As an important port city in Northern China and a Chinese Outstanding Tourism City, Qingdao has natural advantages indeveloping the cruise economy. On May 2015, Qingdao Cruise Port was put into formal use and as a result, the cruise industry has been developing rapidly. It contributes to Qingdao’sbuilding the Regional Cruise Home Port of Northeast Asia.

Ode to Joy: Qingdao became a “Trail Plot for China’s Cruise Tourism Development”

As an important port city and an open city along China’s eastern coast, Qingdao plays a leading role in the economic development of Shandong Province. Meanwhile, Qingdao is a main nodal city on the economic corridor of New Eurasian Continental Bridge of “One Belt One Road” Initiative as well as a pivot point in implementing maritime cooperation strategies. In order to accelerate the development of the cruise tourism industry in Qingdao and especially, Shandong Province, and to help Qingdao’s cruise industry integrate into the development environment of the cruise industry in Northeast Asia and even the world, Qingdao was approved by China’s National Tourism Administration as a “Trail Plot for China’s Cruise Tourism Development.” The unveiling ceremony, which was held at the same location asthe opening ceremony of the 4th China International Cruise Summit (Qingdao) took place, was launched by Wu Wenxue (Deputy Director of China’s National Tourism Administration) and Huang Longhua (Vice Mayor of Qingdao Municipal Government).

(Huang Longhua, Vice Mayor of Qingdao, delivers a speech on behalf of the director unit.)

Cruise economy is a significant part of maritime economy. Qingdao is among the first national forerunners that makes reforms and innovations in the tourism industry. The city also plays a leading role in the blue economic zone of Shandong Peninsula and the economic development of Shandong Province. Therefore, setting up a “Trail Plot for China’s Cruise Tourism Development” in Qingdao will vigorously promote the tourism industry of Qingdao City, Shandong Province and likewise, the whole Central and Eastern China.

With solid developmental foundations and obvious advantages, cruise tourism in Qingdao has begun to take shape. In recent years, Qingdao has fully leveraged its overall advantages and actively grasped the developmental trends of the international cruise industry. By relying on improved cruise ports and supporting systems, Qingdao has strived to build a cruise home port and create an international tourism center. Bysetting up the“Trail Plot for China’s Cruise Tourism Development” in Qingdao, it will fasten trial achievements and advance the overall development of the cruise industry; helping Qingdao’s cruise industry integrate into the development environment of the cruise industry not only in Northeast Asia but also globally.Such measures will also have far-reaching significance in further deepening the cooperation among China, Japan, and South Korea;also among Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.The measures will also contribute to developing regional tourist routes along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, as well as implementing China’s major development strategies including “One Belt One Road” Initiative and “Blue Economy.”

The establishment of the “Trail Plot for China’s Cruise Tourism Development”will set an example in deepening tourist reforms,establishingadditional cruise tourism markets globally, facilitating port customs clearance, and promoting tourism consumption. Moreover, it will accelerate the establishment of policy and regulation systems, management systems, and development mechanisms that are in favor of the sound growth of the cruise industry. In the future, Qingdao will give play to its roles of the “Trail Plot for China’s Cruise Tourism Development” by establishing an efficient and pragmatic mechanism for promoting and coordinating the cruise economy.It will also bea platform for sharing information related tothe cruise industry and forming a scientific and reasonable cruise industry layout, with an aim ofgradually playing its roles of a cruise city in driving economic growth, strengthening regional functions, and improving the city image. The city will also cultivate and recruit a number of professional talents and enterprises engaged in cruise businesses, consummate service systems, and supporting development programs of the cruise economy. Additionally, the city willmake efforts to foster regional markets, and actively organize both domestic and oversea marketing activities. All these aim to make Qingdao a “Forerunner in Innovating Patterns,” a “Frontier in Proving High-end Services,” and a “Demonstrative Area in Industrial Upgrading” in China’s cruise industry.This will also propel Qingdao into the role of “Cruise Center in Northern China” withinternational influence and a “Regional Cruise Home Port in Northeast Asia.”

(Review the Statues of the Cruise Committee)

Sonata: Better City Life through Tourism- Qingdao Consensus of Cruise Committee of WTCF was formally signed.

The first world-class cruise association of China was foundedas the Cruise Committee of WTCF;13 syndic units signed Qingdao Consensus of Cruise Committee of WTCF, including Qingdao City, Athens City, Buenos Aires City, Busan City, Carnival Corporation &Plc, Casablanca City, Copenhagen City, Dalian City, Cruise Association of Jeju, Royal Caribbean, Tianjin City, Shimonoseki City Port &Harbour Bureau, and Baoshan District of Shanghai.Many consensuses were agreed upon,such as,“High-quality cruise service is good for the development of cruise industry; it is fundamental to foster cruise tourism market for the industry; the development of cruise industry can improve the economy of tourism cities; harmonious development concerning the environment should be achieved;cruise tourism service will promote communication and exchange among cities and districts of different ethnicities, cultures, and history.”

Qingdao is well onits way to become a powerful Cruise Center of Northern China and Regional Cruise Home Port of Northeast Asia.In the future, the city will surely make a difference in the world cruise industry.