Alan Lam reporting

Global and regional captains of the cruise industry will gather in Jeju from the 26th to the 28th of August for the 3rd Asia Cruise Forum.

The event, co-hosted by Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, will build on the success of the previous two editions.

About 1,000 delegates are expected to attend this year’s gathering; among them are cruise line executives, such as those from Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean, Costa Crociere, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, SkySea Cruise, Taishan Cruise, and MSC Cruises. Organisations such as China Cruise & Yacht Industry Association, Asia Cruise Terminal Association, Korea Tourism Organization and Japan Waterfront Vitalization and Environment Research Foundation will also be present. Port representatives at the event will include those from Hakata, Busan, Yokohama, Keelung, Shanghai, Qingdao, Incheon, Tianjin, Singapore, and many others.

Notable, high profile speakers at this forum will include Alan Buckelew, Chairman of Carnival Asia/COO of Carnival Corporation & plc, Zinan Liu, Chairman of CLIA North Asia, Buhdy Bok, President of Pacific Asia & China, Costa Crociere S.p.A, Bruce Krumrine, Vice President of Princess Cruises, and a number of other speakers from cruise ports in the Asia Pacific region, as well as academics, shipbuilding experts and cruise business consultants.

According to the organisers, the main purpose of the forum will be, as before, to “generate more communications and interactions for prolonged prosperity of Asia Cruise Tourism”. In practice it will mean networking and building cooperative relationships among industry peers in the context of the fastest growing market.

While the common prosperity will again be the main theme, the forum will focus on strengthening cooperative network within the industry, enhancing the value of the region as the most promising market, and balancing cruise industry development with that of destinations.