Following Royal Caribbean Cruises and Genting Cruise Line‘s plans to develop the country’s cruise infrastructure, the Philippines has also caught the eye of Japan Cruise Lines (JCL), which will make the Philippines a regular port of call in its cruise itinerary for 2018.
“We are happy to announce that we will be deploying the Pacific Venus to the Philippines next year. We hope to receive the usual support for the safe and enjoyable stay of our passengers,” said senior managing director, Kenji Yoneda, on the sidelines of the 2017 Philippine Business Mission to Japan last week.
Pacific Venus
With a capacity of 600 passengers, JCL’s Pacific Venus has been bringing predominantly Japanese tourists to Philippines. It first called at Puerto Princesa and Manila in November 2015, and Bohol, Boracay, Manila and the Hundred Islands in November 2016.
Department of Tourism’s (DOT) secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo said: “I am confident that more international cruise operators will find our country lucrative as we go about implementing key measures such as the development of port and shore-side infrastructure, facilitation of business entry and offering more exciting shore excursions, among others.”
Cruise tourism is one of the nine product portfolios identified in the DOT’s National Tourism Development Plan to enhance the competitiveness of the country as a tourist destination in the Asia-Pacific.
Latest statistics show that international cruise calls to the Philippines have been growing at an average rate of 27.8 per cent over the past four years, from 56 calls in 2014 to 70 calls in 2015 and 72 calls in 2016. This year, the Philippines projects over 100 port calls, bringing in an estimated 122,000 cruise passengers.
