South Korea is now represented in the Asia Cruise Cooperation (ACC), with its Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) recently becoming the group’s sixth member.
Founded by the NTOs of Taiwan and Hong Kong in 2014 with the aim of bringing destinations together to expand the regional cruise market, ACC’s existing members were Hainan Provincial Tourism Development Commission (HPTDC), Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT), The Taiwan Tourism Bureau (TTB), and Xiamen Municipal Tourism Development Commission.
ACC stated that the addition of South Korea means more harbours belonging to members have been made available to provide stronger support for international cruise companies operating in Asia.
Luo Yan, director of HPTDC, further expects the addition of South Korea to enhance ACC’s influence, in addition to reducing the cost of promotion and bolstering the international competitiveness of members.
Meanwhile, Yung-Hui Chou, director-general of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, hopes the addition of South Korea will help realise the group’s original purpose of “(replacing) competition with cooperation” in the region’s cruising industry, as well as help ACC members better leverage their unique advantages.
The move comes as South Korea accelerates the reinforcement of port infrastructure in hopes of attracting more cruises to homeport in the country, said Yoon Hyun-soo, director of MOF’s shipping policy division.
