Christine Duffy, president and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association, underscored that there needs to be a more focused effort on the part of local governments to meet passenger expectations in Asia-Pacific. That means building proper infrastructure where it is lacking, organizing relevant shore excursions, and coordinating with local communities to ensure smooth execution of cruise calls.
Sitting down in Singapore at the Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific conference and trade show with Cruise Industry News, Duffy said it was a bit of a chicken and egg situation regarding port infrastructure, which almost all cruise line executives in attendance said was lagging behind in transit ports during various industry panels.
“At this point in time our members are making bigger commitments to the region,” she noted, in response to a question about Asian market potential hopes. “Carnival Corporation has opened offices in Japan and is opening one in Singapore. Royal Caribbean is moving in ships. People have always believed the potential and now we’re seeing commitments and investments.”
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