Cruise Passengers will soon be able to embark on international cruises from Jeju Island, as the government is set to begin operations from its first ‘semi-homeport’ cruise route in May 2025.
Till now, cruise tourists depended on the ‘fly and cruise’ method, i.e. taking a flight to China or Japan to board a cruise ship.
However, from this Spring, Korean and international tourists will be able to board cruise ships leaving directly from Jeju Island without needing to book international flights.
The Jeju Provincial Government announced that it would start operating the semi-homeport cruise routes in collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
A semi-homeport enables departures and arrivals and functions as a benchmark towards the establishment of a full-fledged homeport.
From May 1, 2025, the Adora Magic City, operated by Adora Cruises, will begin operations from the Gangjeong Cruise Port in Seogwipo.
The cruise ship will link Shanghai, Jeju, and Japan, making 33 round trips by the end of the year. Each journey will offer 5-6 day cruise packages for 60 to 120 Korean guests.
The Provincial Government has coordinated with immigration and customs, along with local shipping associations, to speed up operations.
Jeju will also collaborate with the local travel agencies to attract more cruise guests and offer to create more package tours, to boost regional tourism.
This development came after a rapid increase in cruise tourism on Jeju Island, which has been the location of several popular Korean dramas.
The number of passengers visiting increased from 101,000 in 2023 to 641,000 in 2024, a 534.7% rise. Port calls also increased from 71 to 274 in the same time period.
Jeju Island expects around 346 port calls and about 800,000 tourists in 2025.
Oh Sang-pil, head of Jeju’s bureau of oceans and fisheries, said that Cruise Tourism, beginning and ending on Jeju Island, would be a great thing for the island’s tourism industry as it will boost local consumption and lead to the development of the island’s economy and the cruise sector.
References: Voi, Korea JoongAng Daily
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