Ports & destinations

Having been a main beneficiary of the Asian cruise boom, on the highest level of the government efforts are continuing in South Korea to promote cruise tourism. Alan Lam reports.

Following the cruise industry law that had been initiated in 2013, in January this year, urged by the Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, the country’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee passed two new legislations with the aim of boosting the cruise business by cultivating industry professionals, offering state financial supports and establishing cruise associations.

South Korea already offers generous incentives for attracting cruise calls. The government, for example, provides 30% port dues exemption to cruise ships calling at its principal port, Busan, and the local government offers a further 20% refund via travel agents.

The country now expects to attract 1.2 million cruise tourists this year - increasing from one million of last year - and three million by 2020.

To facilitate this goal, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has just announced that the government is planning to establish at least one domestic cruise line within a year. The plans will also allow South Korean residents to use casinos on board cruise ships, thus revising the Cruise Act that was passed by the National Assembly in January allowing casinos on Korean-flagged cruise vessels that carry foreign passengers.