"The scales of the Asian and Oceanian markets have grown far faster than those of Europe and the US," China News reported Hou Yunchun, former deputy director of a research center under the State Council, as saying.

Globally, the overall number of cruise tourists reached 25.8 million trips last year and is expected to grow 2% to 26.3 million this year. This increase is mainly attributable to the continued growth of the Asia-Pacific vacationing market represented by Chinese tourists, added Hou.

The annual passenger throughput of China's ocean liners will reach about 30 million by 2030, according to a plan issued by the country's authorities in 2015.

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