Hong Kong welcomes 100,000 visitors this month on 20 cruise ships, as Serenade of the Seas arrives for first-time visit
- Tourism chief Kevin Yeung stops by Kai Tak Cruise Terminal as Serenade of the Seas, one of 20 ships in town this month, docks for first time in city as part of world tour
- He says tourists happy with transport arrangements, following chaotic scenes last year when passengers faced lengthy waits to get out and see sights
Visiting the cruise terminal in Kai Tak in the morning, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said the industry had been kept busy, with four ships docking in the city for Wednesday night and Thursday.
“[Tourists] told me that they were looking forward to feeling the uniqueness of the fusion of Chinese and Western cultures in Hong Kong. I also took the chance to introduce them to activities in our ‘Art March’,” he said, referring to a string of high-profile events this month including Art Basel, the International Cultural Summit and ComplexCon.
Two of the four cruise ships, German vessel Mein Schiff 5 and Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas, will stay at Kai Tak, with the latter arriving in the city for the first time for its world tour. The other two are set to dock at Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui.
They are among the 20 cruises either originating or stopping in the city this month, which are expected to have brought in 100,000 visitors, according to Yeung’s bureau.
Yeung said port operators, cruise lines, transport service operators and travel agencies had worked together to “tailor-make” options for passengers to get from the terminal to scenic spots and other sites in the city.
