Taipei, Sept. 14 (CNA) The two sides of the Taiwan Strait are establishing mutual cruise tour lines across the strait that are scheduled to open for service Oct. 9, officials at the government-operated Taiwan International Ports Corp. (TIPC) said Saturday.
The Star Cruises-owned SuperStar Gemini cruise liner will be the first ship to provide cross-strait cruise tour services, carrying over 1,000 tourists between Xiamen in southern China and Taiwan’s Penghu and Kaohsiung, TIPC said.
The unprecedented cross-strait cruise liner services are expected to attract 100,000 users within two years, generating substantial tourist revenues, TIPC added.
Relevant authorities and businesses from the two sides mapped out a blueprint for the development of cross-strait cruise liner services during a cross-strait cruise industry promotion meeting in Xiamen July 30.
The two sides initiated a “Cross-Strait Cruise By 100,000 Tourists” program to boost cooperation in the regional cruise service business, TIPC officials said.
Citing tourism industry assessments, the officials said that if the program is carried out as planned, it will bring some 100,000 visitors to Taiwan in the next two years.
Assuming that each tourist will spend US$100 to US$200 per day in Taiwan, the visits will generate trade opportunities worth US$10 million-US$20 million, TIPC said.
The SuperStar Gemini is scheduled to arrive in Kaohsiung Oct. 11.