On May 19, over 800 international friends departed from Tianjin International Cruise Home Port, embarking on a cruise journey to Fukuoka, Japan, and Jeju Island, South Korea. This marks the largest group of foreign tourists on a home port cruise route nationwide since the resumption of operations.
As the international tourism market continues to recover, the number of overseas tourists visiting Tianjin is steadily increasing. As a significant shipping hub in northern China, Tianjin’s international port advantages are becoming increasingly prominent. With the restoration of international routes, more high-quality international cruise lines are turning their attention to Tianjin, launching diversified home port routes. This international “favor” not only brings more popularity to Dongjiang but also stimulates a surge in cultural and tourism development in the area.
Seizing the opportunity of the full recovery of cruise operations, Dongjiang is actively promoting the “Cruise + Shore Excursions” model, organizing overseas tour groups to visit Dongjiang’s unique attractions and enjoy the beautiful blue coastline. Tourists can check out the Dongjiang Classic Car Culture and Art Center and experience the excitement of “shore excursions” in an immersive way. By integrating trendy IP and marine cultural elements, Dongjiang is also promoting new “Cruise + Performance” products. During the Bubble Island Music Festival, the combination of the “Mediterranean” cruise model and the trendy music festival attracted a large number of young visitors for photo ops, boosting the high-quality development of cruise and cultural tourism.
The booming inbound tourism is also closely linked to the recently introduced visa-free policy. The National Immigration Administration recently announced a 15-day visa-free policy for foreign tourist groups arriving by cruise at 13 ports, including Tianjin Cruise Port. This signifies a further opening of cruise tourism to international visitors, injecting new vitality into the industry. Tianjin International Cruise Home Port is set to welcome more international cruises, further igniting the development of cruise tourism. On May 19, the “Mediterranean” international cruise ship under AIDA Cruises, carrying over 2,600 passengers, returned to Tianjin International Cruise Home Port. Visitors in Dongjiang will witness the busy scenes of both the “Mediterranean” and “Dream” ships sailing together.
