Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Costa's maiden call in Vladivostok sparks desire to grow in-bound tourism

a4ba942ed3240bef9c80306360271669_XL
Traditional gift exchange to mark Costa Victoria's maiden call at Vladivostock
Costa Victoria's maiden call to Vladivostok last week was also the first visit to the Russian port by Costa Cruises.

The cruise, organized by Lotte Tour Development Co., departed from Sokcho in South Korea and visited eight ports in three countries: Fukuoka, Vladivostok, Muroran, Aomori, Niigata, Kanazawa and Busan.

Vladivostok Sea Terminal organized a welcome ceremony of national dances, folklore songs and drummers drummer bands. All passengers and crew were granted a free 72-hour visa.

Director of Vladivostok Sea Terminal presented gifts to the ship's captain in front of representatives of the port administration, the director of tourism of the Primorsky region and local media.

Vladivostok is the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia, located at the head of the Golden Horn Bay, not far from Russia's borders with China and North Korea. The city is the home port of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the largest Russian port in the Pacific Ocean.

Vladivostok Sea Terminal is expecting six cruise calls in 2016, and is in discussion with Lotte Tours and Costa to grow the number of ships visiting in 2017. The cruise market fits very well with the Primorsky region's goal to develop in-bound toruism between 2016-2018.