Shanghai sees record single-day arrival of foreign tourists via cruise ships

SHANGHAI, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal welcomed a record number of foreign tourists on Sunday, as two large international cruise ships docked at the port.

The ships, AIDAstella of AIDA Cruises and Spectrum of the Seas belonging to Royal Caribbean International, brought nearly 4,800 foreign tourists to the east China metropolis, marking the highest single-day arrival of international visitors since this Shanghai terminal opened in 2011.

AIDAstella made its maiden call at the terminal on Sunday. Operated by AIDA Cruises, which primarily serves European markets, the ship is carrying approximately 2,200 foreign tourists, mainly from Germany and Poland, on a 14-day voyage that starts from Bangkok and stops at Vietnam, Japan, and China's Hong Kong, Taiwan and Shanghai.

Elizabeth, a tourist from Poland, said: "This is my first time in China, and I'm traveling with my family. I'm looking forward to this trip." She added that she plans to go to the Great Wall in Beijing on her next trip.

During their stay, tourists will visit Shanghai's landmarks, including the Bund, Yuyuan Garden and Oriental Pearl Tower. They will also take trips to nearby cities like Suzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province.

Spectrum of the Seas, which operates from Wusongkou as its home port, is carrying about 2,600 foreign tourists on this cruise. Angela Stephen, senior vice president of Royal Caribbean's international business, praised the terminal's excellent facilities and beautiful surroundings, emphasizing the company's confidence in the Chinese cruise market.

Notably, the growing popularity of "China Travel" has fueled a surge in Shanghai's cruise tourism market. Upcoming cruise ship visits include Mein Schiff 6 of TUI Cruises both this month and in April, while Costa Serena of Costa Cruises will return to the Chinese market in June.

Shanghai is leveraging its cruise tourism potential by developing diverse travel products, aiming to establish itself as the premier destination for inbound cruise tourism in China. ■