Alan Lam reporting from Hamburg
Japan has seen its cruise traffic and capacity deployment rising substantially and sustainably in recent years. There is no doubt that, at least in part thanks to the number of ships arriving from China, the country’s cruise business is expanding steadily.
Seizing the opportunity created by the current momentum, ports and regions of Japan have shifted up a gear in promoting themselves to source markets around the world. The country’s large and colourful presence at this year’s Seatrade Europe Cruise & River Cruise Convention again adds gaiety and vivacity to the event.
Japan is increasing its investment in tourism, especially in cruise tourism where the indisputable economic impacts on modern Japanese society are recognised and valued.
CruiseBusiness.com Magazine spoke to Masafumi Ono, Assistant Manager for Port and Cruise Promotion, City of Osaka.
He told us that the city’s existing cruise terminal was capable of hosting Quantum-class ships, but it had its sight set on attracting the Oasis class vessels and was currently seeking PFI for the construction of a new, larger cruise terminal. “If the finance is in place, work will start in 2020 and we aim to open the terminal in March 2023,” Ono told us.
In 2018, Osaka attracted 45 cruise calls; this year it has a total of 61 calls booked; and in 2020 the port forecasts 90 calls.
Osaka is promoting itself as a good overnight destination. As one of Japan’s biggest cities, it has excellent direct flight connections with most of its key source markets all over the world. The city is keen to become a major cruise homeport of the region.
For the moment, most cruise ships arriving at Osaka and many of Japan’s other cruise ports come from China. But the country has its sight set not only on China and other Asian markets; it aims to attract a global audiance. In February 2020, for example, a group of five ports - consisted of Aomori, Kanazawa, Sakaiminato, Kitakyushu, Kobe, and Hiroshima - will showcase their cruise facilities and attractions in London. “This event will have the support of the Japanese Ambassador to the U.K.,” said Kenji Yamamoto, Manager of Sakai Port Authority.
Japan’s ports organise this kind of strategic promotional seminars every year in in key cities of Europe and North America.
