Asian cruise passengers surpassed four million mark in 2017

CLIA Asia report finds that the region had the world's fastest-growing passenger source market last year
Asian cruise passengers surpassed four million mark in 2017
More Asian travellers are taking ocean cruises than ever before (Image: Singapore Tourism Board)

By Rebecca Gibson |


The number of Asian travellers taking an ocean cruise surpassed the four million mark for the first time ever in 2017, according to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Asia.

Last year, a record-breaking 4,060,000 Asians took to the seas for a cruise – a 20.5% rise from 2016 and more than three times the year-on-year global growth, which was just over 6% in 2017. Asia’s year-on-year growth was also higher than any other passenger source market, including North America (5%) and Australia (4.4%). This meant that Asian travellers accounted for 15% of the total global ocean passenger volume in 2017.

Meanwhile, seven Asian countries were noted in the world’s top 20 countries for a significant year-on-year increase in cruise passenger volume. China, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, India, Hong Kong and Malaysia all saw double-digit growth, with the latter two countries both reporting more than 80% growth from 2016.

“Cruising continues to be on an impressive progressive trajectory in Asia, gaining consumer interest and having a positive impact on the economy,” said Joel Katz, managing director for CLIA Australasia and Asia. “With a comparatively low population penetration rate and limited awareness of cruising in many Asian markets, the potential is tremendous.”

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