Strong growth in cruise travel expected in Southeast Asia

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https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/us-cruise-liner-taps-growing-southeast-asian-market-110917639.html?linkId=10857550

US-based Princess Cruises, the world's third largest cruise line, launched its first Singapore-based service on Thursday in a move to tap into the emerging Southeast Asian cruise travel market.

Industry players said a fast-rising middle class, which has fuelled a boom in budget air travel, is also likely to drive demand in the region's fledgling cruise market.

Cruise travel is still in its "infancy" in Southeast Asia partly because of "misconceptions" that such trips are boring and concerns over seasickness, said Farriek Tawfik, Southeast Asia director at Princess Cruises.

But "the potential for growth is vibrant and exciting in this region," said Tawfik.

Several other cruise liners have operations in Singapore, including Star, Costa, Cunard and Royal Caribbean.

The Cruise Liners International Association said in a report last week that the 52 vessels operating in Asia have the potential to carry 2.17 million passengers next year, up from 1.81 million this year.

Tawfik said Asian passengers currently make up seven percent of the total world cruise travel market, but this should rise to around 20 percent by 2020. Two thirds of the world's middle class will be in Asia by 2030, he said.

Southeast Asia has 25,000 islands, compared with the Caribbean which has only 7,000 islands, said Tawfik.

"The Caribbean used to be what you call the Mecca of the cruise industry... but we have the potential to be just like them or better," he said.