China’s industry leaders have seen a changing consumer who is willing to spend more money, but stressed that product innovation and improvement must continue, they said at the 2024 Shanghai International Cruise Summit.

Ben Bouldin, president of Royal Caribbean International China, said Chinese consumers are now willing to pay much more than before Covid, although they are more cautious when on holiday. Demand for tours has changed, with a growing interest in understanding the culture of destinations, he said.

Its objectives include reducing friction points: for example, minimizing boarding and disembarking time and allowing visa-free travel. The company wants a transport time to the board of less than 20 minutes.

Bouldin also pointed to the lack of awareness among Chinese passengers, who often don’t fully understand what to expect until they’re on board and only start navigating the experience two or three days after the cruise. To address this, he hopes to work with travel partners to improve pre-cruise education and awareness.

Helen Huang, president of MSC Cruises China, similarly emphasized the importance of reducing friction points and obtaining a travel agent license, or at least regulatory approval to sell products outside of tickets, to allow cruise lines to offer additional services before departure.

She said MSC is working to establish a procurement center in China. However, there are limited business-friendly policies that meet international standards, particularly in areas such as inspection and quarantine. She explained that while China, Korea and Japan are all viable locations for establishing a regional distribution center, China faces significant customs and political restrictions.

Huang also advocated for a single government department dedicated to the cruise industry to provide a stable and effective communication channel to promote industry discussions and improvements.