Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang unveiled the Cruise Tourism Development Demonstration Zone, approved by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, at the 2019 Seatrade Cruise Asia Pacific conference in Shanghai yesterday and met representatives who attended the conference.

It’s the first cruise tourism development demonstration zone in China.

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

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 cooperate with Chinese companies, Li said. “Shanghai will further optimize its business environment to drive the development of cruise liner companies in the city.”

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 the 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. It will run through Friday.