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Figureheads from the world’s leading cruise lines head to Hong Kong

Figureheads from the world’s leading cruise lines head to Hong Kong
In less than a week, cruise industry professionals from around the world will be heading to the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, for Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific. The fourth edition of this annual event comes to Hong Kong for the first time with the Hong Kong Tourism Board as the Official Event Partner. Returning to the event this year will be the two-day conference and full exhibition featuring the fastest emerging sectors in the Asian cruise industry including market potential and challenges, infrastructure and itinerary development, shipbuilding and refurbishment, and passenger sourcing in Asia especially in China.

The conference will begin with a welcome address from Michael Duck, Global Maritime Director & EVP, UBM Asia Ltd, and a keynote address with an update on the future of the Asian Cruise Industry by Anthony LAU, Executive Director at Hong Kong Tourism Board. These will be followed by Global and Asian cruise industry outlooks led by Christine Duffy, President & CEO, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), and Zinan LIU, Chairman, CLIA North Asia, and President, China and North Asia for Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited.

The opening session will continue with ‘The State of the Cruise Industry in Asia’. The momentum for cruise tourism in Asia has taken a step change this year, with announcements from major cruise lines of significant increases in capacity. With a penetration rate of just 0.1%, many Asians have a low awareness of cruise tourism but a high receptivity towards it. In this session, some of the industry's leading voices will give their views on the scale and nature of Asia's potential and the challenges which growth has on this.

In addition to the conference, there will be a two-day travel agent training programme, developed by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and presented by renowned trainer Peter Kollar, this comprehensive education program will help agents better understand the cruise industry's value and revenue potential, and ensure the development of the retail cruise business moving forward in Asia.
​There will also be the opportunity for all visitors and exhibitors to attend a new, complimentary session - The Cruise Line/Port Interface Workshop. In an effort to help drive forward the port infrastructure and development within the Pan-Asia cruise region, this one hour workshop will be lead by both Bruce Krumrine, (Vice President, Shore Operations, Princess Cruises), and John Tercek, (VP, Commercial & New Business Development, Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited, and Member of the CLIA Global Ports Committee). This free of charge workshop will be focusing around how ports and destinations should structure their terminal and infrastructure development and will be promoting the opportunity for economic growth within the region.
​Complementing both the conference and travel agent training is the showcase exhibition, featuring product sectors including destinations, itinerary planning, shore excursion services, port and terminal development as well as ship operations, ship services and hotel operations.

​**END**

Editor – Nina Marston at Seatrade, Tel +44 1206 545121 or email [email protected]

Complimentary press registration is available to editors, writers and print/broadcast reporters intending to report on the event. Visit www.cruiseshippingevents.com/asia/press to book your place.

Social Media
​Additional news, information and announcements about Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific are available at www.cruiseshippingasia.com.  Find Cruise Shipping on Facebook, on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

NOTE TO THE EDITOR: Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific is organized by UBM in partnership with Seatrade.

​About UBM
​UBM connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote their brands and expand their markets. Through premier brands such as Routes, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show and many others, UBM exhibitions, conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 20 industry sectors.

About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com)
​Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is Asia's leading exhibition organizer and the biggest commercial organizer in mainland China, India and Malaysia. Established with its headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia and in the US, UBM Asia has a strong global network of 30 offices and over 1,200 staff in 25 major cities. We operate in 19 market sectors with 160 exhibitions, 75 conferences, 28 trade publications, 18 vertical portals and virtual event services for over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world.