Asia Cruise Cooperation welcomes South Korea's membership

The ACC was launched by Hong Kong and Taiwan in 2014 to bring together major cruise destinations in a common effort to expand the regional cruise market.

South Korea's entry is expected to expand the continued development of the market, and it means that more ports belonging to ACC members will be available to provide stronger support for international cruise companies operating in Asia. It's also an encouraging sign, coming at a time when Korean ports have been off the charts for China-based ships due to China's South Korean travel restriction—though there's no indication of a China policy change.

Hainan Provincial Tourism Development Commission, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Philippine Department of Tourism, Taiwan Tourism Bureau and Xiamen Municipal Tourism Development Commission are other ACC members.

Yoon Hyun-soo, director of the Shipping Policy Division of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, noted Korea embarked full swing in cruising with 2015's 'Cruise Industry Development and Support Act.' Last year the government launched a cruise promotion event for the public and pushed ahead with broadcasting promotion activities to increase outbound passengers to more than 200,000.

By joining the ACC, Korea will double its efforts to bring the Asian cruise industry up to the next level, Yoon said, adding Korea is looking forward to more itineraries and ships involving the member states in the near future.

Korea will greatly enhance the influence of the ACC and can reduce promotional costs while enhancing the international competitiveness of the members, according to Luo Yan, director of Hainan Provincial Tourism Development Commission. She said that's conducive to further developing Hainan's cruise business.

'Our partnership now spans tens of thousands of square kilometres of Asia and the inclusion of Korea gives us an important new strategic dimension,' said Anthony Lau, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board. 'This powerful alliance gives us more opportunities to promote Hong Kong’s appeal as a cruise destination, and the HKTB will continue to reach out energetically to key source markets to attract more cruise visitors to Hong Kong.'

For his part, Benito C. Bengzon Jr., undersecretary for tourism development of the Philippine Department of Tourism, said Korea's membership helps widen the market and 'offer more compelling cruise products to the cruise lines. It further strengthens our efforts to maximise the full potential of Asia as the world’s next important cruising region.'

Yung-Hui Chou, director-general of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, noted Taiwan and Hong Kong opened a new chapter in Asian cruise cooperation in 2014, and after three years of effort together with the Philippines, Hainan and Xiamen 'we have seen the opportunities that our alliance brings for the expansion of market scale together with international cruise companies, and how our grouping brings fresh momentum for the development of new cruise routes between ACC members.'

The inclusion of Korea further underscores ACC's founding principle that regional competition replaces cooperation. 'Working together, we can build a brighter future for the cruise market in Asia,' Chou added.

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