In 2016, number of outbound cruise passengers in China topped two million for the first time. It is expected to rise to 2.6 million this year and to 305 million by 2020.
According to China Daily, 1,040 inbound and outbound cruise ship visits made to the nation’s major ports in 2016. Data from the China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association indicates that there were 18 cruise ships operating in China’s major ports in 2016, up from just one in 2006.
Most Chinese cruisers took shorter voyages, around five days, to visit South Korea.
According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, China continued to lead international outbound tourism in spending, followed by the U.S., Germany, the U.K. and France. In 2016, outbound tourism from China saw expenditure of $261 billion, an increase of 12 percent over the previous year.
