Costa Cruises call marked the first time Japan has welcomed so many cruise guests in one year
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Zhang Yifan from Hangzhou in China became the one millionth cruise passenger to visit Japan in 2015 when he arrived in Fukuoka onboard Costa Cruises’ Costa Serena on 8 December.
Costa Serena sailed into Hakata Port and joined Japanese officials to mark the first time Japan has welcomed one million cruise guests in a single calendar year. Representatives included Soichiro Takashima, Mayor of Fukushima City, and Kiyoshi Ejima, Parliamentary Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
“It’s wonderful that visitors have the opportunity to travel on a cruise liner around the Japan islands and to our port towns,” said Ejima. “We had originally set a target of one million inbound visitors by 2020, so it is very exciting to see this target being met five years ahead of schedule. Here in Fukuoka – and throughout Kyushu – there is exactly the kind of dynamic energy needed to drive further growth and inbound tourism to Japan.”
According to the cruise line, the visit comes at an ‘exciting time’ as Costa continues to expand its presence in Asia.
“My team and I are excited and honoured to send the first-ever 1,000,000th cruise ship passenger into Japan,” said Buhdy Bok, Costa Group Asia president. “This is a remarkable achievement for the Japanese tourism industry. We’re thrilled that our award-winning ‘Italy at Sea’ concept of casual family cruising has been a major contributor to Japan’s record-breaking tourism experience.”
Next summer, Costa Asia will bring casual family cruising to Japan for the first time when Costa Victoria arrives in the country to sail ten itineraries. To be offered in Japan’s peak travel season – between July and September 2016 – the six-day itineraries will not include sea days, but will offer calls at Fukuoka, Maizuru, Kanazawa, Matsue and Pusan in South Korea. Guests will be able to embark and disembark at Fukuoka, Maizuru or Kanazawa.
Itineraries will feature visits to iconic attractions such as the Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go, Kurayoshi and the Adachi Museum of Art & Yuushien Japanese Garden. Guests can also explore the Yongdusan Park in Pusan, South Korea.
“We are very excited to offer our unique casual family cruising experience designed specifically for Japanese passengers beginning next year,” said Yusuke Itokawa, Costa Group Asia’s country manager for Japan. “We’ve enjoyed great success serving Japanese passengers to sail abroad. Soon, our Japanese guests will have the opportunity to set sail closer to home, to visit fascinating Japanese destinations with a touch of Korea, along with a remarkable experience of Costa’s ‘Italy at Sea’ attractions.”