‘High hopes’: how Hong Kong can make waves in the cruise industry

Setting up exhibits at terminals and making sure cruise ships sail in a certain direction to maximise views are among suggestions

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Published: 8:30am, 8 Jan 2025

Hong Kong authorities are banking on making waves in the global cruise industry with a five-year road map to improve tourism that includes measures to address a host of problems at the Kai Tak terminal, which was thrust into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons last year.

The list of complaints ran from poor transport connectivity for passengers to losing Disneyland Cruise Line to Singapore and the wider reluctance of operators in making Hong Kong their home port.

With the release of a long-awaited blueprint last month that lays down 133 measures to boost visitor numbers – including an earlier-than-planned tender exercise for the management of the terminal – and the removal of the minister overseeing the sector, the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Bureau appears keen on breaking new ground in the cruise industry by setting hard targets.

“It is possible that we may aim for a certain number of docking days within a year,” said Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, the new secretary for culture, sports and tourism.

“Or the companies bidding for the contract may suggest or promise how many days they are confident they can secure for cruise ships to dock. These are also important indicators.

“It’s important to have [more cruises] here both as a home port or a port within a longer route. It will be too late to tender in 2027 for a contract that runs out in 2028. The timetables for cruise companies to dock and the deployment of vessels take two to three years to plan.”

A tender for managing the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal from 2028 will be issued this year. Photo: Edmond So