According to information just released, two main cruise ports in Taiwan have experienced significant increases in tourist numbers during the first three quarters of 2014. Alan Lam reports.
Without publishing the actual numbers, the Ministry of Transport and Communications indicated a 58.6% year-on-year increase for the port of Kaohsiung and 78.1% for Keelung, the port nearest to the capital, Taipei.
Kaohsiung is scheduled to receive 47 ships this year, according to the Ministry, but only 29 calls next year, suggesting the still very fickle nature of cruise business in these parts.
However, despite the heady growth, it is believed that the over all cruise tourist number for Kaohsiung this year will be below the forecast 100,000, closer to 80,000.
The Taiwanese government’s reluctance in relaxing visa control on Chinese Mainland visitors is one of the factors slowing the growth.
Taiwan is a part of the so-called Golden Triangle of the region’s cruise business, which is defined by Shanghai, Hainan and Kaohsiung.
Contrary to the wishes of the central government, local politicians in Kaohsiung are aware of the key importance of the Mainland visitors in developing their city into a regional cruise centre. They are unrelenting in their efforts in tabling for easier visa policies to attract cruise tourism.
Like many other parts of the Far East, Taiwan’s cruise infrastructure is continuously being developed and upgraded, often speedily, in anticipation of an influx of cruise business.
