Sri Lanka is slowly but surely tapping the global cruise market, an official from the Ceylon Shipping Corporation said. The global cruise passenger market which was 19.1 million in 2010 is predicted to be 24 million by 2016 and Asia including Sri Lanka should try to attract this market.

Asian cruise passenger volume nearly doubled to almost 1.4 million in 2014, from 775,000 in 2012, according to a report by the Cruise Lines International Association. Asia had a passenger capacity of 2.2 million in 2015.

In February, the Hambantota Port received MS Rotterdam, a luxury cruise ship from the Netherlands while several other globe cruises called over at the Colombo Port regularly including Royal Caribbean cruises.

In a bid to promote the Colombo harbour The Colombo Fashion Week swimwear show will be hosted at the ECT Terminal.

The total economic benefits from the industry were US $ 119.9 billion last year with 939,232 Jobs and $39.3 billion as wages and salaries. It was estimated that the demand for cursing has increased by 68%in the last ten years.

There were 471 cruise ships in 2015 and this year 27 more are to be added. Between 2008 and 2014, cruise travel outpaced general leisure travel in the U.S. by 22%.

Source : http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/06/10/business/84292