Kaohsiung to boost tourism with new cruise hub

Southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung City plans to build itself into a cruise hub in a bid to attract more tourists to the city.

Sun Jyh-perng, director of the city's Marine Bureau, said that about 15 cruise ships with some 30,000 tourists visit Kaohsiung port annually.

Most passengers are immediately picked up by tour buses and taken to other destinations, however, so they bring little business to the city.

He added that visitors usually just "pass by" the port as there are currently no tourist facilities at Kaohsiung Harbor's Pier 1 or Pier 2, where most large cruise ships berth.

Sun said that the Marine Bureau has joined forces with the central government's Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau to create ministry approved dedicated piers for cruise ships in the harbor.

Once the facilities are completed, Sun expects that the number of visitors brought in by cruise ships will double.

Approximately NT$2.85 billion (US$89 million) will be invested in the project's first phase, which will feature two berths at least 11 meters deep that are capable of accommodating cruise ships of 70,000-100,000 gross tons each.

Scheduled to be completed by 2013, construction on the project, which will be able to serve 4,000-5,000 passengers, will also include a terminal building.

The city government will host a meeting next month to discuss how to market Kaohsiung as a hub for cruise ships.

Industry leaders such as Star Cruises Director William Ng Ko Seng have been invited, Sun said.
The harbor bureau has also launched an international competition for the terminal's design so that more detailed planning can begin by the end of the year.

Sourced=etravelblackboardasia