Organized by TIPC, the ‘2024 Taiwan Cruise Forum’ was grandly held on December 4, 2024, at the Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei. In response to the rise of the Asian cruise market, the forum was themed ‘Asia’s Cruise Hub - Innovation and Cooperation Powering Taiwan’s Cruise Industry Forward’. The morning session featured keynote speeches by TIPC, the Maritime Port Bureau, and the Tourism Administration, while the afternoon session showcased the unique local tourism attractions presented by various local government representatives. Besides, the International Cruise Council Taiwan (ICCT), the Association for Cruises Development of Taiwan (ACDT), and cruise companies such as Star Navigator (formerly Resorts World One), Seabourn and Costa were also invited to share insights and realize substantive cooperation among cities, ports, and cruise operators, demonstrating Taiwan’s soft power as a leading global port city.
Since the reopening of Taiwan’s borders, TIPC has been striving for a speedy recovery of the cruise industry by continuously improving the software and hardware facilities at its ports. TIPC has also strengthened regional port cooperation and collaborated with the Tourism Administration and Maritime Port Bureau to implement incentive measures and international marketing campaigns. Additionally, TIPC has maintained frequent exchanges with international cruise operators and major domestic travel agencies to jointly promote cruise tourism. These efforts have yielded remarkable results, where international cruise visits to Taiwan have surged, with the number of cruise passengers in 2024 recovering to over 80% of the pre-pandemic peak.
At the forum, Administrative Deputy Minister of Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MOTC), Lin Kuo-Shian, stated that MOTC adheres to the core policy of ‘People-Centered Transportation, Convenient Taiwan’, emphasizing a human-centered approach which prioritizes the convenience, connectivity and accessibility of transportation system. By working closely with local governments, the MOTC aims to create seamless connections between port areas and cities, ensuring that cruise passengers can easily access urban centers from the port to explore local cuisines and attractions, thereby creating a win-win situation for both cruise and tourism industries and further enhancing Taiwan's competitiveness in global cruise market.
In light of this, TIPC Chairman, Li Hsien-Yi, noted that with the global tourism industry rebounding, the cruise market is steadily getting back on track. According to statistics from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), global cruise passenger volume reached 31.7 million in 2023, exceeding the pre-pandemic level of 29.7 million in 2019, and is expected to grow to 34.7 million, marking a 9.5% rise. This year’s forum featured discussions among both port cities and cruise operators, exploring cruise deployment strategies and sharing experiences. With a strong lineup of forward-thinking presentations, the forum offered valuable insights, serving as an important reference for advancing Taiwan’s cruise industry in the future.
