Swiss company sees growth opportunity for cruise market in China

The Viking Sun docked at the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal on March 8, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua]

The naming ceremony for the latest ship of Switzerland-based Viking Cruises, the Viking Sun, took place in Shanghai this week after it arrived at the city's international cruise ship terminal, reports thepaper.cn.

International cruise companies are competing to tap into China's tourism market. The number of outbound tourists from China has surpassed the total from the second and third largest markets combined.

Torstein Hagen, the Chairman of Viking Cruises, got the idea of expanding into China's market when he was living in Lucerne in Switzerland. He saw busloads of Chinese tourists being hastily driven around and thought "Why not let Chinese tourists slow down and experience authentic European life?"

The Viking Sun docked at the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal on March 8, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua]

Viking Cruises entered the Chinese market back in 2016. Hagen says that 2018 will see more investment by Viking Cruises in China, especially in Shanghai. The company is planning to bring its fifth cruise ship to Shanghai in 2019.

The Viking Sun departed from Miami on December 15 and will stop at 64 ports in 35 countries during its world tour. The ship will visit Hong Kong and Haikou in south China before continuing on its journey, which is scheduled to end in London on May 5.