STORY: International cruise liner returns to Chinese market on tourism rebound
SHOOTING TIME: March 11, 2024
DATELINE: March 14, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:03
LOCATION: TIANJIN/DALIAN, China
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the cruise ship
2. various of tourists
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JOSEPH, Tourist from the U.S.
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SUSIE, Tourist from the UK
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): JIAO DESHUAI, Senior assistant manager of shipping department of the Sinotrans North China Container Company

STORYLINE:

On March 10 and 11, about 2,000 tourists and staff members aboard the Zuiderdam cruise ship operated by the Holland America Line visited the port city of Dalian in northeast China and Tianjin Municipality, respectively.
   
The Zuiderdam was the first international cruise ship that docked in northeast China since the country announced the full resumption of international cruise ship transport to and from its ports in September 2023.
   
The itinerary of the tourists, hailing from some 30 countries and regions, featured visits to multiple scenic spots in Dalian and participation in cultural experience activities.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JOSEPH, Tourist from the U.S.
"It's very enjoyable. We have a private tour guide waiting for us. And we are going to spend four hours seeing the city (Tianjin)."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SUSIE, Tourist from the UK
"We're going to the Great Wall and the (historical) sites of Beijing."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): JIAO DESHUAI, Senior assistant manager of shipping department of the Sinotrans North China Container Company
"Tourists aboard cruises will visit multiple ports and cities in China, enabling them to have firsthand experience of the rich Chinese culture and the fruits of China's economic development.
The maiden visit of the Zuiderdam cruise ship to Tianjin marks a significant milestone. In the future, our company will offer more diverse touring routes to enrich the experiences of tourists."

Since the Spring Festival holiday, which lasted from Feb. 10 to 17 this year, China's cruise tourism market has seen a significant surge.

According to data from China's leading travel platform, Fliggy, during the Spring Festival holiday, orders for cruise ship trips, including domestic and international cruise ship travel, increased by 445 percent compared to the same period last year.

The flourishing cruise tourism industry also offers a glimpse into China's accelerated recovery of outbound and inbound tourist markets.
   
According to the China Tourism Academy, China's total inbound and outbound trips are expected to exceed 264 million this year, generating tourism revenue of 107 billion U.S. dollars.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tianjin/Dalian, China.
(XHTV)