By
Rebecca Gibson |
Cruise ships will visit a total of 306 destinations in Asia in 2019 – an increase of 18 from 2018 – according to a new report from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
The 2019 Asia Cruise Deployment and Capacity Report found that 79 ships from 39 cruise brands will offer 1,917 sailings in Asia this year, generating capacity for 4.02 million passengers. Although this is a 5.7% decrease following several years of growth in the region, the decline has been attributed to the reduction in the number of short cruise options from mainland China.
Collectively, the ships will make 7,154 port calls. Many of the destinations will see growth in the number of calls, particularly Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.
Passenger destination days will total 13 million in 2019, which will translate to more potential onshore visits from cruise passengers.
“The popularity of cruising in Asia is expected to grow further over coming years as cruise lines deploy new, larger vessels that have been purpose-built for Asian consumers,” said Joel Katz, managing director of CLIA Australasia and Asia. “The coming generation of ships will replace older ships previously based in Asia, and when coupled with new cruise infrastructure in several Asian destinations, are expected to fuel strong interest among travellers. The result is likely to be a return to growth for cruising in Asia after a slight decline this year.”