ASEAN Tourism Forum

CLIA was recently invited to participate in the ASEAN Tourism Forum Cruise Dialogue in Singapore, hosted by Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry, and attended by Tourism Ministers from all the ASEAN countries. From the opening address by Singapore’s Prime Minister, the focus was on the growth of cruise in the region and the opportunities cruise brings.

Passenger capacity on ocean cruise ships in Asia increased significantly in 2016. The myriad of desirable destinations within Asia is a key contributing factor to the growth of Asian cruise travel.

Last year, visitors experienced more than 200 destinations across 17 countries, making travelling by cruise ship the easiest way to experience multiple destinations throughout Asia.

ASEAN member states continue to boost cruise tourism which, in turn, supports continued cruise travel growth. Countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand have recently announced investments in cruise infrastructure and destination development.

Cruise lines continue to invest in bringing some of the most exciting and advanced ships to the area – giving pax the ultimate cruise experience, and many of our CLIA cruise line members are demonstrating their commitment to the Asian region.

Cruise line brands active in Asia serve every segment of the market, including river – so there is no excuse to not be including cruise as part of all your Asia conversations with clients!