CHINA’S first Cruise Tourism Development Demonstration Zone was launched in Baoshan District in Shanghai yesterday.

Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang unveiled the zone approved by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism at the 2019 Seatrade Cruise Asia Pacific conference.

Developing the cruise liner economy and building a top international cruise liner port are important for Shanghai to become an international shipping center and a world famous tourism city, Li told cruise line executives on the sidelines of the conference.

The cruise liner market in China and Shanghai has great potential and leading cruise liner companies are welcome to increase their investment, expand business and industry as well as cooperate with Chinese companies, Li said.

“Shanghai will further optimize its business environment to drive the development of cruise liners companies in the city,” he added.

The new title, an upgrade of the previous “experimental zone” gained in 2012, is a milestone for the city’s cruise liner industry and will help to make “great leaps” in policy innovation, influence scope, growth potential and service standard, according to the city government.

“Baoshan has set an example for other Chinese cities to develop cruise liner business and contribute to the world’s cruise liner economy,” said Wang Xiaofeng, a ministry official.

The conference, the region’s leading cruise industry event, features the latest developments in China’s cruise industry via exhibitions, forums and exchanges.

This year’s event focuses on “expanding Asia’s cruise market through sustainable growth.”

Executives from the world’s major cruise lines, government officials and cruise industry stakeholders are discussing the current position of the Asian market, challenges facing the region and the next steps to ensure sustainable growth. Baoshan has hosted the event since 2016.

The district also released a plan for the development of the demonstration zone and a three-year plan to further develop its cruise liner business.

Shanghai has become the biggest port for cruise liners in Asia since the Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal opened in October 2011.