Cruise tourism to open new vistas in Nansha

The cruise industry in Nansha district, Guangzhou is about to get a whole lot better following the opening of the Nansha International Cruise Ship Home Port this November, according to reports from gznsnews.com on Feb 21. 

On Feb 21, the district hosted a press conference on its cruise tourism policies at the 27th Guangzhou International Travel Fair held in the China Import and Export Fair Complex. It also set up a booth featuring two sailboats, mermaids, and posters promoting its coastal tourism.

According to statistics, cruise tourism in Nansha began springing up in 2016, and it leaped to third place nationwide in just one year, growing faster than any other place in the country. From 2016 to 2018, over 320 voyages carrying over 1.2 million passengers were made to and from Nansha. Nansha has maintained its third place position for three years in a row, and it ranks among the "first echelon" of China's cruise industry in terms of number of tourists.

Nansha sets up a booth to promote its cruise industry at the 27th Guangzhou International Travel Fair held at the China Import and Export Fair Complex on Feb 21.[Photo/gznsnews.com]

The district currently offers nine routes to Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines from the Nansha Cruise Terminal. The routes lead to 12 destinations.

According to insiders, the Nansha International Cruise Ship Home Port will be one of the largest cruise ship home port complexes in the country and will be capable of hosting the world's largest luxury cruise ship, which is currently under construction. The home port is expected to process 750,000 to 1 million visitors per year. 

Mermaids promote Nansha's cruise industry at the 27th Guangzhou International Travel Fair. [Photo/gznsnews.com]   

According to government officials from Nansha, the district has launched special policies to promote the development of the entire cruise tourism industrial chain and the tourism supply side reform of Nansha and Guangzhou, while also building a first-class cruise tourism and leisure center. Through policy guidance and market forces, Nansha hopes to attract international cruise organizations, cruise companies, and travel agencies, support the growth of local tourism enterprises, improve Nansha's cruise tourism industrial chain, and improve Nansha's cruise tourism brand.

A visitor takes a photo of sailboats and mermaids at the 27th Guangzhou International Travel Fair in Nansha district.[Photo/gznsnews.com]

In the future, Nansha plans to seize development opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative, the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the construction of free trade pilot zones to build itself into a top-notch cruise and leisure center.