Cruise Company - Costa Crociere - sets up Regional HQ in Hong Kong

Costa Crociere S.p.A., one of the world’s leading cruise companies, has made a strong commitment to Hong Kong as a strategic market for its long term development in Asia by establishing its regional headquarters in the SAR.

Costa's contemporary cruise liner, Costa Allegra, is now also docked for the first time in Hong Kong.

The company is an Italian subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise operator.

The President of Costa Crociere, Mr Giovanni Onorato, said that the company is very excited about its expansion into the Asian cruise market - a key growth region.

“According to a recent report published by the London-based independent economic consultancy, Ocean Shipping Consultants, the cruise market in Northeast Asia - including China, South Korea and Taiwan - is set for substantial growth. The number of cruise passengers, estimated at 440,000 in 2005, is expected to reach 720,000 by 2010. Forecasts for the Asia Pacific region as a whole predict constant growth in terms of the total volume of cruise passengers. It is estimated that there were about one million cruisers in 2005, while this number will increase to 1.5 million by 2010,” he said.

To fully capitalise on the tremendous opportunities in the region, the company has chosen Hong Kong as the location for its Asia Pacific regional headquarters.

Costa Crociere’s Asia division has a 25-strong team, headed up by Mr Massimo Brancaleoni. The division will set about furthering Costa’s business development in Asia in two ways:

- By marketing an exclusive tailor-made product in Asia, offered by the Costa Allegra, which has undergone a 12 million euros refurbishment to reposition it for the Chinese market.

- By offering customers in more than 10 countries in the Asia Pacific region cruises on the entire Costa fleet, from the Mediterranean Sea to Northern Europe and from the Caribbean to South America.

Mr Onorato added, “Hong Kong, as one of the China’s top tourist destinations, with an excellent tourism and transportation infrastructure and supported by the vision and pro-activity of the local Government, will represent an important Regional Cruise Hub for our company’s strategy of business development in the Asia Pacific region.”

The Acting Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Mr John Rutherford, said, “The vibrant tourism market in Asia and the economic growth in key markets, particularly Mainland China, have created great opportunities for cruise companies. Our established transportation and business links with the Mainland and the rest of Asia make our city the ideal location for companies to reach out to customers in the region. We are delighted that a world-class cruise company has decided to establish its regional headquarters here. This is an important milestone in strengthening Hong Kong’s leading position as the tourist and business hub of Asia.”

After its summer program out of Shanghai (July 3rd till the end of October) Costa Allegrac will use Hong Kong as its seasonal homeport from November 2nd, 2006 until end of April 2007 to target vacationers from the Mainland and the rest of Asia Pacific.

The European-continental Costa Allegra, a 28,500-ton cruise ship with a capacity of 1,000 guests and 399 cabins, entered service in 1992.

“Before starting her summer cruises out of Shanghai, Costa Allegra will return to Hong Kong on 29 June, at the end of two 15 and 16 day cruises between China and India.”

Apart from Costa Allegra, more of the company’s ships will cruise to Hong Kong, including Costa Marina, sister ship of Costa Allegra, that will call at Hong Kong during a brand new cruise program out of Singapore scheduled for the winter season 2006/2007.

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