Cruise economy appeared in the Caribbean in the mid-1960s, when it was the largest cruise destination in the world, accounting for nearly half of the global passenger traffic. Since the mid-1960s, the cruise economy has been the economic model for the survival of the Caribbean.

Since the end of last century, cruise tourism has maintained an average annual growth rate of 8%. According to the prediction of relevant institutions, the number of cruise tourists worldwide will reach 30 million in 2020.

In recent years, the world cruise economy has developed rapidly. The number of passengers in the global cruise market increased from 6.8 million in 1996 to10.3 million in 2002, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 7%. Some international metropolises have infiltrated the elements of "cruise economy" in their economic development. For example, in Singapore, in 2006, 5438+0, 1200 international cruise ships arrived in Hong Kong, and the cruise industry became the pillar of local tourism.

Relevant information shows that in the next three to five years, dozens of large cruise ships will be built and launched in the international market. The international cruise economy is in the ascendant, and its development is just the right time. Although the cruise economy in Asia is still in the development stage compared with Europe and America, it has great development potential. In the past eight years, the number of cruise passengers has more than tripled. It can be predicted that with the opening of some new routes suitable for the characteristics of the Asian market, the scale of Asian cruise economy will be further expanded. Some port cities with the conditions to develop cruise economy should seize this opportunity to develop cruise economy and turn their cities into cruise cities.

The demand for cruise ships has surged.

In fact, in recent years, a number of international cruise companies, including Costa Cruises, have successively laid out in China. In 20 10, the number of international cruise ships visiting coastal cities in China reached 128, up by 68.4% year-on-year, while there were only 35 cruise ships in 2005. In 20 10, there were 95 international cruise ships originating from coastal cities in China, up by 18.8% year-on-year, but there were no flights in 2005.

According to the statistics of Cruise Yacht Branch of China Communications and Transportation Association (hereinafter referred to as "CCYIA"), in 20 10, there were 790,000 inbound and outbound tourists from Chinese mainland (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan), an increase of 20. 1% compared with 658,000 in 2009, and 462,000 inbound and outbound international tourists came to China by cruise, a year-on-year increase/.